Updated May 14 at 6:38 PM ET: Valve has confirmed that the steam system has not been destroyed and identified that user data has not been stolen or accessed by hackers. The company provides clarifications in its Steam blog post:
“We are still looking into the source of the leak, due to the fact that any SMS messages are not encrypted in transit and are routed through multiple providers on the way to the phone. The leak consists of older text messages, which include a time code that includes a single time range that only applies to a 15-minute period, and this information and its frequent payment methods are in line with extery textment of Sept equal the Sept noction sept noise. Violation of the security of the steam account.”
Our original story follows.
Steam allegedly suffered a data breach in the past week. Details are slim and difficult to confirm, but a known hacker claims to be selling a database of over 89 million user records using one-time access code obtained from a third-party vendor used by Steam. If accurate, that would include information about more than two-thirds of Steam audiences.
The initial LinkedIn post identified the violation, indicating that the leaked information was from cloud communications company Twilio. However, Steam Rep says the platform does not use Twilio, so if the violation is violated, it may be through other vendors that provide access to the SMS code.
While we are really not sure what is going on at this stage, the entire Kerfuffle is a timely reminder of your online security practices. In Steam’s case, Valve has a mobile authentication program called Steam Guard that can help you keep your account secure. It’s also a good practice to make sure you change your pass code regularly, especially when some of the components of Steam Guard may be the root of this week’s security drama. Password managers can simplify the process. As mobile phone numbers seem to have been compromised, try phishing through text for extra vigilance.
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