If another player sent you unearned rewards or XP through a cheat in Destiny 2, Bungie says you will not be punished if you were innocent and did not seek the cheats or their benefits. That is the useful clarification in Update 9.7.0.5, released October 7, 2026.

Bungie changed back-end code to address certain cases of cheat users spamming other players with rewards and XP they had not earned. It is also taking action against accounts that used those cheats maliciously.

Receiving something you never asked for and deliberately trying to benefit from an exploit are different situations. Bungie's reassurance covers innocent, uninvolved recipients. It does not extend that protection to players who actively sought the cheats or their benefits.

A Guardian attacks an armored enemy with a glowing Arc staff in Destiny 2.
Image: Bungie.

The punishment assurance has limits

The patch notes do not say how many accounts were affected, specify the penalties applied to malicious users or explain whether unearned rewards and XP will be removed. Protection from punishment is not confirmation that every granted item or point will stay on your account.

Bungie also describes a fix for certain instances of this behavior, rather than claiming that every reward exploit has been eliminated. No weapon, ability or activity changes are listed in this update, so there is no announced sandbox adjustment to rebuild your loadout around.

If you encounter suspected cheating, Bungie directs players to its Report Suspected Cheating and Poor Behavior guidance. Use that reporting process for an incident you observed. Do not seek out more exploit rewards because uninvolved recipients are protected; the protection depends on not pursuing those benefits.