We are truly in the darkest timeline. The CD Projekt Red hack we covered yesterday has upped its pace and the leaks are coming in thick, starting with GWENT.
Gwent, a card game first seen in The Witcher novels and subsequently released as a standalone video game by CD Projekt Red, has had its source code published as part of a ransomware attack. This seems to be in direct response to the company’s refusal to meet the terms of the note posted yesterday.
Clearly, whoever initiated the ransomware attack isn’t here to piss about. After digging into it, it seems a hacking group called HelloKitty is responsible here. They’re relatively fresh on the hacking scene and obviously looking to make a big splash.
Very briefly, a ransomware attack, specifically the double extortion as seen with CD Projekt Red, is where a group take control of a company’s software and lock the users out. This prevents owner access whilst also taking that same data and holding it for ransom, or auctioning it to the highest bidder. In this case, they’ve gone for a ransom, and released the source code of GWENT as the first step in a multi-stage release schedule.
Now, some people are not particularly happy with CD Projekt Red, and there will definitely be mixed feelings about this leak. Some will view it as rightful retribution for a long con in the over-hyped release of a sub-par gaming experience. Others will see it as over-stepping the mark and crushing a company when it’s down.
Either way. CD Projekt Red definitely have an ability to drum up exceptional press, whatever happens. We’ll be hanging out to see how this changes as events progress.
