YouTube has removed thousands of videos that were disguised as cheat codes but actually spread malware. These videos were part of a network known as the YouTube Ghost Network. The videos had garnered hundreds of thousands of views.
According to a TechRadar report published on October 24, 2025, YouTube took action against a significant number of deceptive videos. These videos, presented as cheat codes for games, were instead designed to distribute malware to viewers. The operation involved thousands of such uploads forming the YouTube Ghost Network, which accumulated hundreds of thousands of views before removal.
The removal effort highlights ongoing challenges in content moderation on video-sharing platforms, where malicious actors exploit popular search terms like cheat codes to reach unsuspecting users. No further details on the specific malware types or the exact number of videos were provided in the source. This incident underscores the importance of user vigilance when accessing gaming-related content online.