Valve fix CS2 cheat that used game's console to get wall hacks and steal wins

Counter-Strike 2 cheaters discovered a new exploit that allowed them to turn on wall hacks and see enemies through solid objects just by typing a command into the in-game console, but just 24 hours later, Valve has stamped it out.

Cheating has been a major issue in CS2 since its summer 2023 release, with hackers becoming more blatant. At this point, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been tracked through walls, or seen someone spin 180 degrees just to tap me in the head with a single bullet.

Generally, these cheats are programs installed on the users’ PC, but CS2 players have now discovered that these grifters found a command that can be typed into the game’s console which immediately turns on wallhacks without the need for a third party app. As shown by former NiP junior player Adrian ‘7EMPORARY’ Mehrara on April 7, the second the command is entered, boxes appear around every character, regardless of whether they are on your team or not.

Obviously, we’re not going to post the command here, but it’s clear to see how big an advantage this gave those who used it. Knowing where your enemy is at all times allows you to accurately call your next move based on their locations, or get the jump on your opponent ahead of a gunfight.

Unfortunately, this glitch effected the game’s Premier ranked mode, which means not only are people cheating against you, but they’re stealing MMR points from you as well. The cheat has been especially prevalent on FACEIT, which has forced the platform to stop people from queueing. The company confirmed that they were “aware of an exploit/bug in the game,” and were exploring whether they can “patch it on [their] side.”

FACEIT also promised “appropriate actions will be taken against those exploiting it,” with the company’s community manager Darwin confirmed that the team had identified users who abused it on FACEIT and bans were being handed out.

Thankfully, Valve released a 1.2 MB update for CS2 early on April 8, which appears to have patched out the code and made it unusable. This is welcome news for anyone who suffered through an enemy using it, although there’s no word from Valve on whether they will also hand out bans too.

Still, at a time where Counter-Strike continues to set player records, and with the hype around the game following the PGL Copenhagen Major, exploits like this are worrying, and a sign that Valve need to continue working on bringing CS2 up to the standard set by Global Offensive.