Rockstar Games Faces Second Hack in Three Years
Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games has been targeted by hackers for the second time within a three-year span.
The data breach affecting the prominent gaming company was reported by cybersecurity news outlets on Saturday, following claims of responsibility by a hacker group.
According to posts reviewed by media outlets, the hackers stated they accessed Rockstar servers managed by a third-party cloud provider and threatened to publish stolen materials online unless a ransom was paid.
Rockstar Confirms Breach but Downplays Impact
Rockstar confirmed the breach to gaming publication Kotaku but minimized its significance, stating that the incident "has no impact on our organisation or our players."
"We can confirm that a limited amount of non-material company information was accessed in connection with a third-party data breach," a Rockstar spokesperson told the outlet.
The BBC has reached out to Rockstar for comment and has also communicated with the hackers responsible for this latest breach, who identify themselves as ShinyHunters.
About the Hacker Group ShinyHunters
ShinyHunters is a prolific group of English-speaking cybercriminals, believed to be teenagers, specializing in data theft and extortion.
The group previously claimed responsibility for a hack targeting gig ticket operator Ticketmaster.
Over the past two years, ShinyHunters have repeatedly infiltrated cloud storage systems used by major corporations and assert they have done the same with Rockstar Games.
The hackers have declared that the stolen data will be published online since their ransom demands have not been met.
Global law enforcement agencies advise against paying ransoms to cybercriminals, as it encourages further criminal activity and does not guarantee deletion of stolen data.
Previous Rockstar Hack in 2023
This incident marks the second time the blockbuster game developer has experienced a hack.
In 2023, an 18-year-old British hacker named Arion Kurtaj was subjected to an indefinite hospital order after infiltrating the company and stealing data, source code, and video clips of the unfinished Grand Theft Auto VI game.
The damaging breach resulted in the publication of 90 video clips of incomplete gameplay for Rockstar's highly anticipated new game on online forums, prompting the company to release its official trailer ahead of schedule.
Kurtaj was a member of a teenage hacking group called Lapsus$, which targeted multiple large corporations in 2022 and 2023.
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