Rhysida, the ransomware group that hacked Insomniac Games, has released it’s stolen data to the public, and the scale of the breach has drawn outcry across the internet. The hacker group had made its demands on December 12, threatening Sony with the release of it’s stolen data if it wasn’t given $2 million USD in exchange.
According to Cyber Daily, Rhysida released 1.67 terabytes of data, including a working alpha of the upcoming Wolverine game, game footage, it’s future lineup of games, and the information on Insomiac employees.
Rhysida was well aware of what it was doing, calling Insomniac Games an “easy target” in an email to Cyber Daily.
“…We were able to get the domain administrator within 20–25 minutes of hacking the network,” wrote Rhysida. So far, when asked as to why Insomniac was targeted, Rhysida stated that money was the main motivator.
When inquired about Sony’s investigation into its hack, Rhysida noted that Sony would be better of investigating “in the backyard.” This could mean many things but until the investigation is finalized, nothing is confirmed.
Fans and developers across the industry have shared their sympathy towards Insomniac on X, formerly known as Twitter, condemning the hack for endangering the developer’s employees.
Cyber crimes have been on the rise within the video game industry. Just recently, Rocksteady was hot with a significant hack of its own with the plot of Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League leaking.
The video game industry has become one of the most profitable entertainment markets in history, and as a result can easily become a cash cow towards bad actors wanting to make a quick buck. If games as big as GTA VI can be targeted, these issues are unlikely to go away anytime soon.