The gaming giant claims that hackers have stolen source code, software tools; unlikely impact on players – Technology News, Firstpost

Tech2 News StaffJune 11, 2021 3:43:38 PM IST

Electronic Arts said Thursday (June 10) that hackers managed to steal the video game giant’s source code and other software tools, but that the attack was unlikely to impact gamers or business operations. . EA, the maker of popular titles such as “Battlefield”, admitted the violation after a report through Vice-media that attackers had seized the code used for games such as FIFA 21 and the Frostbite engine, which powers some EA games.

“We are investigating a recent intrusion into our network where a limited amount of game source code and related tools have been stolen,” an EA spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “No access to player data has been made and we have no reason to believe that there is a risk to player privacy. Following the incident, we have already made security improvements and do not expect an impact on our games or our business. “

EA said she was “actively working with law enforcement officials and other experts in connection with this ongoing criminal investigation.” Vice reported that hackers bragged about the attack on underground Internet forums, with a message saying, “You have full capacity to operate all EA services.”

Hackers were advertising the stolen software for sale on various dark web forums, according to the report.

“The leak of proprietary source code is certainly not good news. This is a serious IP theft where hackers are able to harvest valuable information from their hands; being able to see the inner workings of a game, exploit security holes, and even reverse engineer games for malicious purposes. Besides the loss of reputation due to the leak, the loss of intellectual property, the companies concerned also suffer huge monetary losses both from the investments made and from future income. Reports say the source code for the EA Games data leak has already been announced on the darknet. This is not surprising, because hackers usually quickly monetize what they steal. And selling such proprietary information, like EA Games source code, can make hackers a lot of money on the dark net, ”said Prakash Bell, Customer Success Manager, SE Regional Manager, Check Point Software Technologies, India and SAARC.

The news follows a wave of high-profile cyberattacks in recent months, including several ransomware attacks against industrial companies and healthcare facilities, as well as breaches of government and nonprofit networks attributed to government efforts. spying.

The attack on EA comes as major video game makers were scheduled to attend the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) which runs virtually from Saturday due to the pandemic.

With contributions from AFP