Gamers have long dealt with hackers stealing accounts and spreading malware through cracked games. Now, game publishers and developers are facing the same threat.
On June 10, Electronic Arts became the latest victim when hackers targeted their game source code and data. Earlier in February, Finnish developer CD Projekt suffered a ransom attack similar to the one Capcom faced back in November 2020.
The attackers stole critical data and warned Capcom by leaking the company’s game release schedule.
In the recent attacks, hackers claim to have obtained source code for FIFA and Cyberpunk 2077, along with libraries and digital assets called game engines used to build the games. Instead of demanding ransom, the hackers say they plan to auction off the stolen code.
In response, CD Projekt said they rebuilt their core infrastructure, upgraded firewalls, expanded their internal cybersecurity team, and encouraged third-party support to strengthen security.
EA confirmed they lost source code and related tools but believe user data was not compromised. They have since boosted their internal penetration testing team following cybersecurity guidelines from President Biden’s May 12 executive order.
Capcom reported on April 13 that they upgraded their technology and formed a cybersecurity oversight committee. The company also addressed related issues in their report.
Game studios face huge challenges in the industry. They constantly transfer data between online game servers, requiring customized security tools for different servers.
The high turnover in game development teams means many people may have access to sensitive data, making security even harder.
Once hackers get the source code, they can sell it or use it to attack the game in unexpected ways. For example, by infiltrating core game functions, hackers could create tools to impersonate the publisher and send phishing emails to players.
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Fake versions of games could be created with embedded malware to spread. Even with strict protections on Play Store and App Store, these fake copies can appear on secondary markets, often disguised as hacks, free versions of paid games, or localized versions of English-only games.
Hacking tools not only spread malware but also hurt game revenue, especially in competitive esports titles.
In March, market research firm Newzoo estimated esports revenue would hit $1 billion in 2021 with 474 million viewers worldwide. Overall, the gaming industry’s 2020 revenue matched the combined US film and sports sectors, according to International Data Corp.
Going forward, business models like in-game item sales could be at risk as hackers analyze source code to find new attack methods.
EA’s online services revenue made up 71% of their net revenue, reaching $4.01 billion in fiscal 2021. About $1.62 billion came from FIFA’s Ultimate Team online mode.
EA hopes the recent attacks won’t impact their business operations or stock market value.
Source: WSJ
