Technology
EA hack – cyber crooks steal code for games including FIFA 21 and flog them on the dark web
ELECTRONIC Arts, the game publishing behemoth behind FIFA and Battlefield, has been hit by a major cyber attack.
The US firm said Thursday that it is investigating a recent data breach where some of its game source code and related tools were stolen.
The source code for FIFA 21 has been pinched by hackers after they breached EA servers[/caption]
It makes the gaming giant the latest victim of a spate of cyberattacks on American companies.
The hackers claim to have pinched 780GB of data from EA servers, including the source code for FIFA 21.
They also made off with code for Frostibite, the games engine that powers titles like Battlefield.
The publisher of titles such as Apex Legends and Madden NFL 21 said it does not expect the breach to have an impact on its games or business.
The publisher said it does not expect the breach to have an impact on its games or business[/caption]
A spokesperson said EA was working with law enforcement officials and other experts as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
“We are investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our network, where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen,” they said.
“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 an 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.”
However, experts suggested the breach could put gamers at risk.
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Stuart Green, Cloud Security Architect at Check Point Software, said: “Anytime source code gets leaked, it’s not good.
“With such precious information in their hands, hackers can easily see the inner workings of a game, exploit security gaps and even reverse-engineer games for malicious purposes.
“These malicious activities can scale if hackers proceed to sell their theft.”
Hacking activity against corporations in the United States and other countries has increased in recent months.
Digital thieves have been able to take advantage of security weakened by work-from-home policies due the COVID-19 pandemic.
The breach comes on the heels of high-profile cyberattacks on Meatpacker JBS USA and Colonial Pipeline, the largest fuel pipeline in the United States.
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