Hackers have stolen the source code for Electronic Arts (EA) games including and tools like the ‘Frostbite’ engine that powers titles such as the ‘Battlefield’ series.
The California-based video game company acknowledged the cybercrime on Thursday June 10,
EA also said that it was ‘actively working with law enforcement officials and darknet sites other experts as part of [an] ongoing criminal investigation.’
According to Vice, hackers have been boasting online about the attack via underground internet forums, with one post saying they ‘have full capability of exploiting on all EA services.’
Furthermore, they reported, the hackers have been advertising the stolen software for sale across various dark web sites web forums.
A spokesperson for EA has said that the attackers did not access any private player data and that the breach is unlikely to affect their business operations.
Pictured: a screenshot from EA’s upcoming ‘Battlefield 2042’ game, powered by the Frostbite engine whose code was stolen
‘Anytime source code gets leaked, dark web marketplaces it’s not good,’ said cloud security architect Stuart Green of Isreal-based Check Point Software.
‘With such precious information in their hands, hackers can easily see the inner workings of a game, exploit security gaps and even reverse-engineer games for malicious purposes,’ he continued.
‘These malicious activities can scale if hackers proceed to sell their theft.’
‘Reports are out that the source code in the EA Games data leak is already being advertised on the darknet market, which is not surprising as hackers are usually quick to monetise what they steal.’
‘Selling such proprietary information, dark darknet market like source code from EA Games, can net someone big money on the darknet market.’
Among the files stolen was part of the source code for the Frostbite game engine which powers many EA titles, including the ‘Battlefield’ series.
Pictured: Game enthusiasts and industry personnel watch scenes from ‘Battlefield One’ during the Electronic Arts EA Play event on June 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California
The news follows a wave of high-profile cyberattacks in recent months.
These have included several ransomware attacks on industrial firms and health care facilities — as well as and breaches of government and non-profit networks which experts have attributed to espionage efforts.
The attack on EA comes as major video game makers are on the brink of participating in the annual , which is running from June 12-15 this year and is being held virtually due to the pandemic.
