GTA developer Rockstar Games has fallen victim to hackers once again. This latest hack, which occurred via a third-party cloud provider, saw non-material company information accessed and threatens to be published online unless the perpetrators receive a ransom.
Despite confirming the breach to gaming publication Kotaku, Rockstar downplayed its significance, stating that this incident has no impact on their organisation or players. However, the hackers, known as ShinyHunters, have a history in data theft and extortion, having previously targeted Ticketmaster.
The latest hack follows another significant breach in 2023, where an 18-year-old British hacker called Arion Kurtaj was part of a gang named Lapsus$, which hacked multiple large corporations. Kurtaj's actions resulted in the release of 90 video clips from the unfinished GTA 6 game, causing Rockstar to release its trailer early.
The incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with third-party cloud providers and raises questions about data security measures within the gaming industry. Law enforcement advice is clear: paying ransoms fuels cybercrime, so organisations are encouraged to be cautious.
