EA Hacked and Source Code Now Reportedly Sold in the Dark Web
EA Hacked and Investigations are Ongoing to Find the Perpetrator
Electronic Arts, the publisher of popular video games such as FIFA, Madden, the Sims, and Medal of Honor, announced that it was investigating a network breach that resulted in stolen video game source codes and software.
“We have the full capacity of exploiting all EA services,” the hackers stated. Losing control over source code, according to Brett Callow, a cybersecurity specialist and threat analyst at Emsisoft, may be bad for EA’s company. “Source code could, theoretically, be copied by other developers or used to create hacks for games,” he said.
EA Hacked: the Stolen Data
The hackers also proclaimed to have obtained source code for games like FIFA 21 and the Frostbite game engine, which is used as the foundation for several high-profile titles. According to Intel 471, a cybercrime intelligence service, the hackers were promoting roughly 800 terabytes of data. The hack did not result in the theft of any player data, according to EA. Parts of the FIFA and Frostbite code were confirmed by the gaming giant to have been taken. Electronic Arts is one of the world’s biggest game developers to date.
“EA was hacked and we are investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our network where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen,” stated an EA spokesperson. “No player data was accessed, and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy. Following the incident, we’ve already made security improvements and do not expect any impact on our games or our business. We are actively working with law enforcement officials and other experts as part of this ongoing criminal investigation.”
EA produces or publishes significant franchises including Battlefield, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, The Sims, and Titanfall, as well as a wide range of yearly sports games. The firm said that security has already been enhanced and that there would be no “effect on our games or our business.”
The news of EA’s hack is big and law enforcement has been notified as well. Source code is a version of computer software that is generally much easier to read and comprehend than the final product, and may be used to reverse engineer sections of the product.
EA Hacked: Repercussions of the Theft
The Frostbite engine is a sophisticated game production tool that has been utilized in scores of games, ranging from FIFA to the Battlefield series and numerous current Star Wars titles from EA. The source code could be quite valuable for an unethical developer eager to duplicate the engine, or for those creating cheat codes and hacks for games, the source code might be quite valuable. Any mainstream rival to EA, on the other hand, is unlikely to employ stolen data.
For hackers, source code is appealing because it explains how the game is designed and created. A source code indicated how pressing this button disables that trap, or where on an enemies’ head your bullet should hit for maximum damage. When source code falls into the wrong hands, it has the potential to jeopardize the integrity of online video games, their servers, and even the safety of players. Modding is another application for this source code. When fans don’t have to reverse-engineer game code, it’s easier to create tools and fan-made content.
Not every piece of leaked source code is utilized for nefarious purposes. These schematics for games’ inner workings are prized by amateur video game historians and preservationists. The increasing control that game corporations have over their goods, whether it’s through digital-only downloads or compulsory internet access, writes out gamers who see games as cultural products. Not only that, many gaming studios have a poor track record of keeping their own titles alive.
Cyber Attacks and What it Means for the Industry
While ransomware has been the focus of recent high-profile breaches, source code for video games is a valuable commodity in and of itself, especially for cheaters. Injecting portions of the original game source code into another piece of software is a common method of creating popular hacks. Part of the reason why video game companies sue cheat-makers is that they employ game code in their illicit wares.
E.A. is the most current in a string of firms to be hacked in recent months, including JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, and the Colonial Pipeline, which transports petroleum down the East Coast. Those breaches were ransomware assaults, in which hackers try to shut down systems until they are paid a ransom, although E.A. stated it had not received any ransom requests. Similar data breaches were revealed last year at Valve, Capcom, Nintendo, and Ubisoft. A ransomware assault targeted Cyberpunk 2077 maker CD Projekt Red earlier this year.
The stolen source code may potentially disclose confidential projects and game concepts, as well as developer remarks that firms would like not to see. Security breach is also bad for a company’s reputation. In addition to EA’s own proprietary code and tools, the hackers claim to have Microsoft Xbox and Sony SDKs and API keys for sale.
With EA hacked, the destiny of the source code and the Frostbite engine is unknown. However, the company claims that no players’ privacy will be compromised. But, whether it becomes public or remains hidden in the shadows of the dark web, most gamers are concerned about the magnitude of the damage and when it will be realized.
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