It appears that a well-known hacker group has gained access to personal data and game assets from Insomniac Games
A hacker group has been blackmailing development studio Insomniac Games, according to recent reports As (Cyberdaily reports), a ransomware gang called Rhysida was able to gain access to the Spider-Man developer’s systems and according to the reports, gained possession of both employees’ personal data and game content
Including game scenes from the action adventure game Marvel’s Wolverine
, which has so far only been announced as a trailer.
2 million dollars for stolen data
Such hacker groups have made it their business to obtain sensitive data via Trojans and security vulnerabilities and then demand extortion money in return. In the case of Insomniac Games, the data is also being offered in an auction, which starts at 2 million US dollars The studio now has 7 days to buy the data back.
According to Cyberdaily, documents and game footage have also already been submitted, in order to provide proof of ownership of the data These include screenshots from the new action adventure in which Wolverine can be seen. Other characters from the game are also to be seen in the form of artwork
In addition, the group is probably in possession of internal emails and confidential documents. These include passports from Insomniac employees and a private document from Peter Parker spokesperson Yuri Lowenthal.
How Sony reacts
Insomniac Games is one of Sony’s internal development studios and usually produces PlayStation-exclusive titles such as Spider-Man or Ratchet and Clank. It is not known how Sony will take further action against this hack. At present, the console manufacturer has only issued a statement in which the possible hack is discussed. It reads:
We have received reports that Insomniac Games has been the victim of a cyber security attack. We are currently investigating the situation. There is no reason to believe that any other SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment, editor’s note) or Sony divisions are affected.
The hacker group in question has been causing a lot of trouble for several weeks now. For example, it is claimed to be behind the ransomware attack on the British Library in November. FBI and CISA are already warning about the group and raising awareness of their actions.
This approach is referred to as the ransomware-as-a-service model. The stolen data is sold and the proceeds shared between the group and some of its allies. Information on possible protective measures can be found on the CISA website
