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Today in Dickish Hackery: Bethesda Latest Victim of Personal Data Thieves

LulzSec posse goes after multiple game company websites, steals personal user information.

Anyone else really, really tired of hackers using game company websites as personal punching bags? After two grueling months of Sony's laborious effort to get its online systems back in order, various hacker collectives owning and disowning claims to a slew of targeted attacks, the US Congress getting involved, and no one being able to play SOCOM online, we thought maybe, just maybe, this whole debacle had finally come to a close.

Haven't Brink players really suffered enough at this point? Do we need to dig the knife deeper?
Haven't Brink players really suffered enough at this point? Do we need to dig the knife deeper?

But hey, of course it hasn't, because there are still hackers out there who are total assholes, and they still think it's really hilarious to hack into game company websites and steal their users' personal information.

In this case, it's the rogue sect of self-righteous chuckleheads known as LulzSec, or Lulz Security. These are the guys who have, most recently, hacked into the websites of Nintendo, Codemasters, and Epic Games, seemingly for no reason other than "because they can," and in some cases ganking large chunks of personal user data (though so far, no personal financial information).

The latest victim is Bethesda, whose official website for Brink was compromised over the weekend. Bethesda states that, once again, no credit card or other financial information was taken, but that some usernames, email addresses, and passwords may have been taken. As if things weren't bad enough when the Sony downtime prevented people from playing Brink online at launch, now this. Sheesh.

The LulzSec Twitter account, somewhere in between bouts of self-congratulation and complaints about their personal YouTube video stream speeds, states that they might not release any of the personal user info, but will definitely release some of the other company data extracted from Bethesda's servers.

No one seems entirely sure what, exactly, it is that has inspired LulzSec to go after company page after company page, but if the idea is to craft some kind of elaborate piece of hacking-based performance art comedy on the absurdly low security standards employed by publishers, for serious guys, we get it. I know it worked for Urkel for a while, but doing the same gag over and over and over again doesn't somehow make it more funny over time. After a while, it just starts to sound like insanity.

Nyroon June 13, 2011 at 12:38 p.m.
Not again, this has to stop. 
CyleMooreon June 13, 2011 at 12:40 p.m.
Mother fuckers.
Ekpyroticuniverseon June 13, 2011 at 12:40 p.m.

bloody hell gamers can't catch a break

Zamiron June 13, 2011 at 12:40 p.m.
i think Giant Bomb is the next site to get hacked now because of Alex's comment in the post
Jerron June 13, 2011 at 12:40 p.m.
NOT BETHESDA! 
Soapon June 13, 2011 at 12:41 p.m.

Sooooooooooo when are they arrested?

ttocson June 13, 2011 at 12:41 p.m.

This is just getting old. I can't wait until they get caught. It's only a matter of time.

Enigma777on June 13, 2011 at 12:42 p.m.

@alex said:

Anyone else really, really tired of hackers using game company websites as personal punching bags?

Yes.

JeanLucon June 13, 2011 at 12:42 p.m.
sigh...
Cheesebobon June 13, 2011 at 12:43 p.m.
This can't be people like Anonymous.
 
They are too nerdy not to like Bethesda.
Yummyleeon June 13, 2011 at 12:43 p.m.
The authorities should just hack them back.. as in hack off their hands so they'll forever be exempt from using a keyboard & mouse.
Funkydupeon June 13, 2011 at 12:44 p.m.
Scramble to protect Skyrim! 
Zimbo is online on June 13, 2011 at 12:44 p.m.
Urgh. I don't care if LulzSec thinks a lot of companies security methods are lacking. It still doesn't give them the right to break into their databases and steal personal information.
coakroachon June 13, 2011 at 12:45 p.m.
Looks like gaming security as a whole is on the brink of total collapse! 
No its cool i'll show myself out.
PLWolfon June 13, 2011 at 12:45 p.m.

Getting old and tired. It needs to end now.

Vortextk is online on June 13, 2011 at 12:45 p.m.
These guys deserve to have their own security holes hacked, in the men's prison shower.
 
Love that alex can't get away from the definition of insanity joke. Twice or three times in the e3 overnight podcasts.
MikkaQon June 13, 2011 at 12:46 p.m.

Far Cry 3 calls Lulzsec insane.

Hashbrownson June 13, 2011 at 12:46 p.m.

@Abyssfull said:

The authorities should just hack them back.. as in hack off their hands so they'll forever be exempt from using a keyboard & mouse.

Now I'm wondering if Sharīʿah covers computer crime.

StaleCroutonon June 13, 2011 at 12:46 p.m.

The whole thing is getting really old and I feel that these hackers should be treated like the real criminals they are. They are not activists. They are immature brats that are trying to justify their actions.

Delta_Asson June 13, 2011 at 12:46 p.m.
Timothy Olyphant is trying to get our attention, guys.
 
We need Bruce Willis, pronto.

Dig Deeper into Brink

A multiplayer-focused, class-based first-person shooter in which oppressive soldiers and anarchistic terrorists battle for the few remaining resources on a failed paradise known as the Ark.

US Release Date: May 10, 2011

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