Publisher Bethesda confirms hack attacks

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 13 June, 2011

LulzSec takes user email addresses, passwords.

Anti-gaming hackers have claimed their latest victim.

Publisher Bethesda has confirmed it suffered a hacker attack on its websites over the weekend.

The Brink and Hunted publisher said the hackers "may have gained access to some user names, email addresses, and/or passwords". It advised users change their passwords on all of its sites immediately.

No personal financial information or credit card data was obtained, however.

"Over the past weekend, a hacker group attempted an unlawful intrusion of our websites to gain access to data," Bethesda said in a statement on its website.

"We believe we have taken appropriate action to protect our data against these attacks. While no personal financial information or credit card data was obtained, the hackers may have gained access to some user names, email addresses, and/or passwords. As a precaution, we recommend that all our fans immediately change passwords on all our sites - including our community forums and the statistics site we maintain for Brink players.

"If your username/email address/password is similar to what you use on other sites, we recommend changing the password at those sites as well. As we don't know what further plans the hackers may have, we suggest that you keep an eye out for suspicious emails and account activity.

"We regret any inconvenience that these attacks on us cause for you. These attacks will be evaluated to determine if there are any additional protections we might take that would be prudent."

The hack was the work of Lulz Security – the same hacker group that attacked Sony and other websites in recent weeks.

LulzSec warned on Twitter it was taking aim at Bethesda.

"We were going to keep this little treasure chest to ourselves, but it appears the hand has been bitten. Say your prayers, Brink users," the group said over the weekend.

Then, "Big lulz coming up in the near future. Time to show these b****es how it's done. #Brink #Bethesda #ZeniMax"

Defending its attack, LulzSec said: "Snap your minds into a new realm, my friends. We did it because they couldn't stop us - and did it we did, as you'll see. We always deliver."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 12 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LazyDan #1 12 months ago

    How long until the gaming websites are subject to this? Eurogamer, I don't want anyone finding out my username!


    ...Oh shit!

  • The_Captain #2 12 months ago

    Oh for fucks sake.

    I know I'll do things because no one will stop me! Hope these idiots get what they deserve.

  • magicaldrop3 #3 12 months ago

    LulzSec are dicks.

  • Huxamalay #4 12 months ago

    FFS DIE

  • Geowolf #5 12 months ago

    These arseholes are giving software engineers a bad name. Hacking was a term giving to really exceptional programmers, now thanks to these fuckwits, it synonymous with cyber terrorists. It's time that the global powers put these arseholes at the top of public enemy number one lists.

  • AcidSnake #6 12 months ago

    Which begs the question...Why?

    Although I didn't agree with them I could see the reasoning behind the attack on Sony as they were going after GeoHot, but what have Bethesda done other than release a non-optimised game?

  • Flying_Pig #7 12 months ago

    String the lot of 'em up

  • Gearskin #8 12 months ago

    I can rape people
    I can murder people
    I can torture people
    I can steal what I like from where I like

    I can do it because no one will stop me until its done.

    A pathetic rationale, don't you think?

  • Daeltaja #9 12 months ago

    Well at least we can all take comfort in the fact the none of these losers will ever get laid.

  • Geowolf #10 12 months ago

    @AcidSnake

    Because most of these twits are 14 year old children with nothing better to do. They think they are being Matrix-cool. The rest are terrorist organisations supporting these groups to make money to support terrorist activities.
    Edited by Geowolf at 13/06/11 @ 16:47

  • john_silence #11 12 months ago

    If I had the know-how I'd so hack LulzSec right now.
    Trolls...

  • Kanjin #12 12 months ago

    I like how the hackers announcements are getting steadily more deranged. Not long before

    'Defending its attack, LulzSec said: Derp D3rp dr3333p

  • spidermanalf #13 12 months ago

    Do they not realise there is loads of free porn on the internet?

    Surely looking at that and playing with themselves is a better way to spend their time rather than annoying people.

    ORRRRRRRR were these attacks always happening before, but as gaming publications realise that people like to read about sites been hacked, they are posting more of it?

  • 1Dgaf #14 12 months ago

    I dint believe lulzsec censored their own tweet. Bst to put that bit into parenthesis.

  • Schiraman #15 12 months ago

    Isn't describing them as "anti-gaming hackers" a little bit misleading and inflammatory? Have they stated some kind of objection to gaming? I thought they were just hacking big-name sites with crap security to show they could/show how vulnerable these sites are.

  • Zaiz #16 12 months ago

    o_o You generally don't announce that you've hacked someone until they've fixed their cracks if you are being the sort of hacker who does it for fun and then helps the company in the end(generally, these guys are their internal security having fun and then announcing it later like a third party did it).

    It seems to me like Lulzsec is just kinda thinking they are untouchable. Cyber crime is hard to trace, but all it takes is one mistake, and they've been awfully prolific lately.

  • raloB #17 12 months ago

    I'm not sure I believe that considering Bethesda Store is still down....

    [link url=http://orders.bethsoft.com/
    ]http://orders.bethsoft.com/
    [/link]

    Hope they don't take DC/CC

  • liveinabin #18 12 months ago

    Bethesda? Yeah, hack a company that pretty much everyone likes. That'll help your point.

    I look forward to their impending jail time, stupid kids.

  • Freek #19 12 months ago

    A more interesting perspective. Also explaines a little why this is happening.
    Edited by Freek at 13/06/11 @ 16:52

  • Haunted_Tree #20 12 months ago

    As these are now classed as "terrorist" attacks and "acts of war" by certain governments, we can't condone their behaviour and the way it affects the innocent party the most is deplorable.

    However, it should make us think about how much data we put in the public domain or give to commercial organisations with very little thought to its value or security. It is clear that some companies have very weak internet protocols and it could be argued that a "mischievous" warning hack is better than one with a purely malicious intent.

    Users have to smarten up, stop using easy passwords across multiple sites and be careful about who they give personal information to.

    Companies need to abide by the Data Protection Act - be tested regularly and punished for their failures. A slap on the wrist is nothing to them and our safety shouldn't be seen as a debt that can be written off.

    To end this rant, we need to put smart people in Government who actually know about the digital world and act in a responsible, proportionate and co-ordinated manner. Not to go overboard and shut things down at the slightest infringement but to create an online environment that remains open and accessible but also protects the user / business with enforced standards.

    We need someone to poke the beast with a dirty stick, if we won't do it ourselves ... who will?

  • RodHull #21 12 months ago

    I know Brink was disappointing and New Vegas was a bit buggy but this seems a bit mean. Maybe it's due to Bethesda's shoddy Star Trek games, revenge of the nerds and all that.

  • Stompy #22 12 months ago

    Post deleted at 23:13:35 17-04-2012

  • jimr9999us #23 12 months ago

    I'd be critical of LulzSec but at this point I'm pretty sure they could find out where I live and turn my computer into a laser spewing bot that would make Cloverfield look like a lost golden retriever puppy.

    So...kick ass work Lulz. Brink was a fail game that deserved a lesson.

  • RobotRocker #24 12 months ago

    Dear Stumpy

    Welcome to Journalism, bitch

    Hugs n' Kisses

    RR

  • fizzyfish #25 12 months ago

    @Schiraman

    You're right, but I think the description still holds. The effect of their activities is certainly anti-gaming, irrespective of their intention.

  • chiz #26 12 months ago

    Surely they had hashed passwords?

  • TheDarkFurie #27 12 months ago

    We did it because they couldn't stop us - and did it we did, as you'll see.

    A reward is offered by every dev to anyone who hunts these guys down and says that while raping them.

  • hjarg #28 12 months ago

    The point is actually not LulzSec.
    The point is- Sony, Codemasters and Bethseda are lacking enough in security that they can be taken down. That means they have not spent enough time/money on their security systems. That means our personal data that is stored in these servers is compromised.
    No matter how childish or with how silly name, i'm grateful that LulzSec is around and doing what they're doing- showing that someone could really-really use something better in security then sign "Plz don't hack, we're poor and can't afford a firewall or two"

  • RobotRocker #29 12 months ago

    A reward is offered by every dev to anyone who hunts these guys down and says that while raping them.

    Gamers. Still embarrassing and pathetic.

  • Zozzilla #30 12 months ago

    It's one thing to prove a site has crappy security, it's another thing to steal people's usernames, passwords, addresses and credit card info and slap it on the internet/sell it to the highest bidder. I agree that a lot of big companies need showing how lax they are at keeping shit safe but this is NOT the way to do it.
    Edited by Zozzilla at 13/06/11 @ 18:39

  • el_pollo_diablo #31 12 months ago

    Dear Valve,

    You know what I'm going to say next.

    Love
    e_p_d

  • coolbritannia #32 12 months ago

    LulzSec are anti-gaming? Since when?

  • butler` #33 12 months ago

    @el_pollo_diablo
    haha:)

  • Tryhard #34 12 months ago

    Oh well just went and changed my password haven't posted on there since Fallout New Vegas released.I think these hackers have my details 10 times over by now.They must be getting bored with me .

  • Sharzam #35 12 months ago

    In a way its good that there doing this because it means the more websites and companys they target the greater chances of being caught. Personally i want the whole group found and prosecuted ideally in amercia as there sense of justice is , how shall i put this a bit OTT. As it has gone beyond prooving a point and idealism and now is just a form of cyber terroism.

    Also last week the BBC reported that LulzSec accessed and hacked into the NHS databases (for non UK people, thats our primary heath service) they did not publish anything but 'warned' the NHS about there secuirty. Althourgh i see the point why would you even target the NHS in the first place ?
    Edited by Sharzam at 13/06/11 @ 19:28

  • Penguinzoot #36 12 months ago

    Althourgh i see the point why would you even target the NHS in the first place ?

    Um, dunno. But I suppose it's a bit like asking a mountaineer why he wants to climb Everest and getting the response: "because it's there"?

  • Lord_Gremlin #37 12 months ago

    Arrest them... And persecute them. Bastards.

  • DirectAim #38 12 months ago

    Why does everyone hate these hackers so much?

    They are hacking large companies because they are using poor security methods. Instead of bitching about lulzsec why not bitch about the game companies who are making millions off us the consumer and then storing all of the personal information we have to give them in order to buy their products in such an unsafe place? Would you give your bank your money if they stored it in a fairly unsafe location? Instead your bank stores your money in a super hightech volt, the same should apply to our personal information that is being stored by a company online.

    The issue with these recent hacks is how quickly and easily they are being performed and how blatant the hackers are! They are posting on Twitter while actually performing the hacks and not getting caught! They own the web because many companies do not take security as seriously as they need to be doing.

  • goatjugsoup #39 12 months ago

    go eat a dick you motherfucker hacking assholes

  • nasanu #40 12 months ago

    'We did it because they couldn't stop us'

    Nobody can stop me stabbing someone on the street either.

  • BloodSaint #41 12 months ago

    Are you fkin serious Bethesda?!? They gave u a 2 day warning and they still fkin got past all ur security?!? What Bullsht is this... You need to fire your chief of Online security ASAP... The warning for the attack was on the internet for 2 days... Did you even bother to read it?!?

  • styles_dg #42 12 months ago

    One question.....Why? These groups usually do these things for a very specific reason. "Because we can" isn't telling the whole story I'm sure. Why target Bethesda? There has to be more to it. They should have clarified their reasons, as I'm curious what Bethesda might have done in their opinion.

  • delboy83uk #43 12 months ago

    I wouldn't call them anti-gaming one browse of their twitter and it seems if it wasn't dreamcast it's shit. Damn sega fanboys.