Intelligence firm KELA and cybersecurity expert vx-underground have both reported that CD Projekt RED hackers have sold the data they recently stole from the developer following an auction. The data included source codes for the RED Engine, the upcoming upgraded version of The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, and Cyberpunk 2077.
The hackers, who have been identified as a group called HelloKitty, gave CD Projekt RED 48 hours to respond but the developer publicly refused to negotiate. The following day, source code for GWENT was released online and the more valuable data was put up for auction with a starting price of $1 million, or a $7 million upfront ‘buy now’ price. HelloKitty apparently received a “satisfactory” offer from outside the forum where it auctioned the data. The buyer put forth the condition that the code will not be distributed or sold further, which the group agreed to.
Just in: #CDProjektRed AUCTION IS CLOSED. #Hackers auctioned off stolen source code for the #RedEngine and #CDPR game releases, and have just announced that a satisfying offer from outside the forum was received, with the condition of no further distribution or selling. pic.twitter.com/4Z2zoZlkV6
— KELA (@Intel_by_KELA) February 11, 2021
Update: we have confirmed the auction has closed. Someone has indeed purchased the material.
Image courtesy of @DrFurfagMD pic.twitter.com/TnQVqTiM5w
— vx-underground (@vxunderground) February 11, 2021
CD Projekt RED did not comment on the report. The studio previously said that it was in contact with relevant authorities to investigate the hack, and its priority is to secure its infrastructure and ensure that player and user data is safe.
[Source: IGN]
