This could be the worst Christmas evening for Rockstar Games. Today, when the whole world is celebrating Christmas, an unknown user has leaked all the source code of Rockstar's best game Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5).
The leaked file is about 4GB and contains critical files related to the game's RAGE engine, concept art, early maps of the game's San Andreas setting, and other sensitive material. Moreover, some Python scripts file from unreleased GTA 6 is also included.
This is not the first time data related to GTA 5 has been leaked, and today's leaked file was also from the 2022 GTA 6 leaks. An onion website is also live sharing all the leaked files.
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| Leak Onion Site ./CyberKendra |
In September 2022, an anonymous hacker claimed to have obtained source code for GTA 5 and 6 and attempted to extort Rockstar Games by threatening to release the data. At the time, only video footage from GTA 6 was leaked and distributed online.
Now it appears the full GTA 5 source code has been made available on several filesharing sites and forums dedicated to GTA modding and hacking. Experts who have examined the leaked data say it appears to be legitimate.
A game source code is the underlying set of instructions written in a programming language that forms the basis of a video game. It contains the logic, algorithms, and functionality defining the game’s operation.
Possession of a game's source code can enable bad actors to more easily find and exploit vulnerabilities or create cheat programs and unlicensed derivatives. It also represents a massive breach of intellectual property protections.
Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive have yet to issue an official statement on the latest leak. The companies have been heavily targeted by hackers in recent months, likely in response to the massive popularity of the GTA franchise.
This latest leak coming on a holiday weekend seems particularly ill-timed and malicious. With most Rockstar employees away from work for Christmas, the company's security and response capabilities are stretched thin.
Earlier this month, a video clip of GTA 6 was leaked on tiktok before the release of the first trailer of GTA 6. Due to a leak, Rockstar has released the trailer ahead of its scheduled time.
Moreover, a couple of days back, two members of the Lapsus$ hacker group were sentenced to behind bars in charge of hacking companies like Uber, Nvidia, and Rockstar Games.
For GTA fans eagerly awaiting news of the next iteration in the series, this troubling leak provides a sobering reminder of hackers' abilities to damage the franchises and publishers behind even the most popular games. Rockstar must now redouble its cybersecurity efforts to restore trust in its ability to protect both its intellectual property and eager customers.