Failed Extortion Attempt Leads To Massive Data Leak

Exploit: Hacking Company: Electronic Arts Industry: Technology, Video Game Maker Sources: https://therecord.media/hackers-leak-full-ea-data-after-failed-extortion-attempt/

After a failed attempt at extorting video game giant, Electronics Arts (EA), for the return of stolen data and later failing to sell the stolen files to a third-party, the hackers responsible for the breach have released approximately 751 GB of EA’s stolen data online. The dumped files are being reported to have contained the source code for EA’s FIFA 21 soccer game.

Initially, the hackers released 1.3GB of the FIFA data hoping to pressure EA into paying the demanded ransom. After a refusal to meet the request from EA the hackers turned to posting a thread on an underground hacking forum offering to sell the stolen data for $28 million. Without any buyers willing to meet the price, the hackers resorted to the data dump.

It has been reported that the hackers used authentication cookies to impersonate an already-logged-in EA staffer on the company’s internal Slack channel. Once they infiltrated the channel, the hackers dupped an EA IT support employee into granting them access to the company’s internal network where they proceeded to download the game’s source code.

Company officials have released a statement confirming that “no player data was accessed” during the incident and there is “no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy” after the data breach. EA has also mentioned they have already made security improvement and are now concentrating efforts in working with law enforcement and cyber security experts as a part of ongoing investigations.