Is miHoYo hacked? Dos and don'ts amidst official website compromise

Hacked would be an improper term, as the better phrase would be that miHoYo's URL got compromised. Nonetheless, the general sentiment is similar. Various websites could use the same subdomain for nefarious purposes. Note that this issue affects new sites using the company's name, not necessarily the old ones still up and running.

Dos and don't essentially boil down to common sense. Don't do anything on URLs you don't recognize. Most players don't need to visit mihoyo.com since HoYoverse.com exists, so this problem is easily avoidable if a player ignores questionable content sent to them.

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miHoYo's site has been compromised: What to know

Reputable Genshin Impact leaker Mero has stated that the default mihoyo.com and other old websites should be fine. However, new sites using the same URL at the end could be harmful. Various forms of malware could be available on the new websites, so gamers are urged not to visit any suspicious links.

Google has flagged some subdomains, but remember that the bad actors could create new ones. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially since a person can enter confidential information on some unofficial sites.

Google declares the whole site as having some unsafe pages (Image via Google)

Different URLs within mihoyo.com have different results. The site as a whole mentions how some pages are unsafe. If a player visited something specific like vpn.mihoyo.com, they would be notified that the website could be harmful and may be prompted to leave before entering it.

Note there that this doesn't apply to HoYoverse.com and its related URLs. Google declares those sites as safe as nothing malicious was found on them.

The above Tweet was the first viral reference to the recent ongoings about the website's recent compromise. Many modern browsers have ways to prevent a person from randomly entering such sites, but this notification is still crucial for gamers to know. After all, some people are more likely to fall for phishing scams if the URL looks legitimate.

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What to do and what not to do

Here is an essential list of things to keep in mind:

Don't visit any suspicious site with mihoyo.com at the end: Bad actors could use such websites for questionable purposes.

Don't download anything from said sites: Malware will likely be included.

Don't enter personal information on such websites: Avoid using credit card information, account username and passwords, and other personal data.

Wait for miHoYo to fix the problem: Since it's their subdomain being used, it would be reasonable to assume that the company will try to fix this problem.

You can still play the company's games: Nothing in the recent reports indicates that a player's account progress is affected.

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Much of this story broke out around 8 am PT on July 26, 2023. Much can change in the ongoing hours, so stay up-to-date on the latest news regarding this website's compromise. There is currently no official response or timetable for any potential fixes.

Just remember to avoid any strange URLs sent to you. It's common sense, but some gamers might need this reminder.