Hot on the heels of Codemasters’ network security being breached, there’s word now from Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3 developer Bethesda Softworks that hackers have now targeted its own website as well. User names, e-mail addresses and passwords “may have” been accessed in a recent server intrusion, the company revealed in a blog post. The recommendation now is that all users change their passwords on the network of Bethesda sites, including community forums and the Brink stat-tracking website. The company also recommends changing your password wherever else you might be using the same one, though this should be old hat by now for the more than 100 million gamers impacted by the recent security breach at Sony.
The intrusion appears to be the work of hacker group LulzSec, which tweeted a suggestive comment indicating its involvement and then warned Brink players to “say your prayers” (via Gamasutra). No reason for the attack has been given, but it’s not like one is required. Bethesda and Codies are only the latest; ever since the April attack on Sony, the video game industry has had a rash of security breaches, with Eidos and Nintendo both having been targeted as well, the latter by LulzSec.
It’s hard not to wonder if the Sony incident instigated the spate of attacks that followed. Plenty of people are looking for their 15 minutes in the spotlight, especially on the Internet, and the Sony hacking proved that such news leads to a lot of coverage. If LulzSec had no intention in taking down Bethesda beyond gaining notoriety, then it’s mission accomplished already. While these sorts of intrusions may be harmful to one and all, they’re much easier to swallow when there’s a point being made.
