The recently released PlayStation versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 are facing a major multiplayer security problem. Just weeks after launching on PS5 and PS4, players are reporting that a hacker has been joining online matches and manipulating player accounts, raising fresh concerns about the security of these classic Call of Duty titles.
The attacks have already affected multiple players, with altered ranks, game crashes, and corrupted multiplayer progression becoming increasingly common.
Hacker Alters Player Progression
According to reports from the community, a hacker using the aliases “C Isn’t Sharp” and “Who Isn’t Sharp?” has been entering multiplayer lobbies and modifying player accounts without permission.
Victims have reported that their multiplayer levels and Prestige ranks were changed instantly. In some cases, accounts were boosted to impossible values that do not even exist in the original progression system.
One of the most visible examples involved streamer TimTheTatman, whose account reportedly displayed Level 55 alongside a non-existent Prestige 16 after encountering the hacker.
Crashes Leave Some Players Locked Out
The problem goes beyond altered statistics.
Several players report that the account manipulation has caused multiplayer crashes, with some being unable to rejoin matches afterward. While not every affected player experiences the same issues, the possibility of having an account modified simply by joining a public lobby has left many players avoiding online multiplayer altogether.
For a game that has seen a major resurgence on PlayStation, the situation is becoming increasingly frustrating for the community.
Old Multiplayer Infrastructure Appears to Be the Weak Point
The PlayStation ports launched on July 9 as direct ports developed by Iron Galaxy in partnership with Activision and Treyarch.
Although the games now support cross-generation matchmaking between PS5 and PS4 players, much of the original multiplayer infrastructure appears to remain unchanged from the classic releases. That aging network architecture is believed to be one of the reasons these exploits are possible.
While the issue currently appears limited to PlayStation consoles, it highlights the risks of bringing older online games back without significant modernization of their networking and security systems.
Popular Release Now Facing Security Concerns
Despite the ongoing problems, both Black Ops ports have attracted impressive player numbers since launch.
Black Ops 2 reportedly surpassed five million PlayStation Network players in the United States, while the PS5 version quickly became one of the platform’s most-played Call of Duty releases. Both titles continue to retail for $40 on the PlayStation Store, making the security issues even more concerning for paying customers.
Players who purchased the games expecting a faithful online experience are now questioning whether it is safe to continue playing public multiplayer matches.
No Official Response Yet
At the time of writing, Activision, Treyarch, and Iron Galaxy have not released an official statement regarding the reported exploits or confirmed whether a security update is in development.
With much of the Call of Duty team’s attention currently focused on the upcoming Modern Warfare 4 open beta, it remains unclear how quickly these multiplayer issues will be addressed.
Until an official fix arrives, players who value their multiplayer progression may want to exercise caution before joining public Black Ops 2 lobbies.
