A new cybersecurity incident has hit Rockstar Games, marking its 2nd breach in 3 years. The developer of Grand Theft Auto was reportedly targeted by hackers, with the breach surfacing on Saturday through cybersecurity reports.
According to claims made online, a hacking group gained access to Rockstar’s servers via a third-party cloud provider. The group threatened to release stolen data unless a ransom was paid.
Rockstar, however, has downplayed the situation. In a statement to BBC, the company said, “this incident has no impact on our organisation or our players”. It further clarified, “We can confirm that a limited amount of non-material company information was accessed in connection with a third-party data breach.”
The hackers, identifying themselves as ShinyHunters, are known for data theft and extortion. The English-speaking group, believed to be teenagers, has been linked to multiple cyber incidents. They previously claimed responsibility for a breach involving Ticketmaster.
Over the past 2 years, the group has repeatedly targeted cloud storage systems used by major companies. In this case, they claim to have accessed Rockstar’s systems and stated that the data will be released since their demands were not met.
Authorities globally continue to advise against paying ransoms, as it encourages cybercrime and offers no assurance that stolen data will be deleted.
This marks the 2nd major hack involving Rockstar Games. In 2023, an 18-year-old hacker, Arion Kurtaj, was given an indefinite hospital order after breaching the company’s systems. He leaked source code and 90 clips of early gameplay from the upcoming GTA 6.
The leak forced Rockstar to release the game’s trailer earlier than planned. Kurtaj was linked to the hacker group Lapsus$, which targeted several global corporations between 2022 and 2023.
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