Hackers hit EA, steal source code for FIFA 21 and more
EA confirms an attack in which hackers reportedly nabbed 780GB of data from the company behind games like FIFA, Battlefield and the Sims.
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The source code for Frostbite, the engine that powers the game Battlefield 2042, was reportedly among the hacked files.
Hackers tapped into servers at Electronic Arts on Thursday, making off with key game files for popular titles, including FIFA 21. The data is now reportedly up for sale on the dark web.
The hackers claim to have made off with 780GB of data from EA servers, including the source code for FIFA 21 and the code for its matchmaking server, Vice reported. Also snatched: the source code for Frostbite, the engine that powers popular EA titles like Battlefield, the news outlet said.
EA confirmed the hack when we reached out, and noted that this was not a ransomware attack, and that no player data or personal info was included in the breached files.
"We are investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our network, where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen," an EA spokesperson told CNET. "No player data was accessed, and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy. Following the incident, we've already made security improvements and do not expect an impact on our games or our business. We are actively working with law enforcement officials and other experts as part of this ongoing criminal investigation."
The hackers reportedly breached EA's network by first purchasing a stolen cookie that gave them access to a Slack channel used by the company. From there, they messaged IT support and obtained a multifactor authentication token to access to EA's corporate network, according to Vice.
The hack comes just before this year's E3 gaming conference, which is scheduled to kick off June 12.