The chief executive of video game development studio Valve has apologised for a hacking attack that targeted the company’s forums and potentially exposed its customers’ credit card data.
Valve is the owner of Steam, a digital distribution platform that allows users to download video games directly to their computers at cheaper prices than traditional retail outlets.
Newell said in a statement the company’s online forums were attacked on Sunday, November 6, but that after further investigation the attack was found to go beyond the forums.
“We learned that intruders obtained access to a Steam database in addition to the forums. This database contained information including user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchase, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information,” he said.
“We do not have evidence that encrypted credit card numbers of personally identifying information were taken by the intruders, or that the protection on credit card numbers or passwords was cracked.”
Newell said the company hasn’t identified any evidence that credit card numbers have been used, but warned members to be on watch, also saying that forum users will be required to change their passwords.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
