Fortnite creator Epic Games has reportedly suffered a ransomware attack from a group of hackers, with nearly 200GB of data stolen from the company.
See also: Epic Games CEO: “Google is a dictator in its Play Store”
This is reported by the hacker group behind the alleged attack, Mogilevich, as reported by Cyber Daily. Epic Games has not yet responded.
The data allegedly hacked includes "emails, passwords, full names, payment information, source code, and much more," although it's unclear whether this refers to the data of Epic Games employees, customers, or both.
The hacker group attempted to extort money from Epic Games for the return of the data, with a deadline of March 4.
The hackers have not yet released any proof of the leak, but they are reported to have successfully attacked a subsidiary of car manufacturer Nissan last month.
Recently, a series of ransomware attacks have targeted prominent video game developers, most recently including PlayStation 's Spider-Man studio , Insomniac, with employee details and development plans published online when the company refused to pay.
See also: Epic Games: Mogilevich hackers say they stole data
In October last year, European police said they had “neutralized” the gang of corrupt ransomware attackers responsible for the high-profile Capcom , which also resulted in the publication of confidential employee information and details about upcoming games.
Update 04/03/2024
The hacking group that claimed to have breached Epic Games' servers has admitted that its claim was false and stated that instead they were "professional scammers" looking for a reward.
The Mogilievich group's plan was to trick hackers into believing they had the tools to hack large companies – which they could then sell to other hackers for use.
A spokesperson for the group told CyberDaily, which first reported on Epic Games' alleged breach, that they are making their plan public now to highlight their efforts as "criminal geniuses."
See also: Epic Games: No evidence of breach by Mogilevich hackers
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What are the steps one should take to protect themselves from such scams?
To protect a business from hacker groups like the one that attacked Epic Games, it is important to remain cautious when negotiating online transactions. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. It is also important to check the credibility of websites before making any transaction. Furthermore, many scams start with seemingly innocent messages that ask for personal information or ask the user to click on a link. Finally, it is important to keep your security software up to date.
Source: eurogamer
