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TechElectronic Arts

EA just suffered a major hack, with criminals stealing code that powers FIFA 21

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
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By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
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June 10, 2021, 2:52 PM ET

Electronic Arts is the latest company to suffer a major hack.

The gaming giant said Thursday that it is investigating a cybersecurity incident in which a “limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen.” 

Criminals were able to steal the source code that powers EA’s popular FIFA 21 soccer video game and are attempting to sell the technology in underground hacking forums, reported tech publication Motherboard. The hackers also stole the source code for EA’s Frostbite gaming engine, which is used in several EA video games like Madden NFL 21, Battlefield, and Anthem.

An EA spokesperson told Fortune that hackers did not access or steal any consumer or employee data and that the company “has no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy.”

“Following the incident, we’ve already made security improvements and do not expect an impact on our games or our business,” the spokesperson said. “We are actively working with law enforcement officials and other experts as part of this ongoing criminal investigation.”

It’s unclear how hackers were able to penetrate EA’s computer systems. 

EA’s cybersecurity incident follows a string of high-profile hacking attacks in recent weeks that have affected Colonial Pipeline, beef supplier JBS, and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

EA shares dropped nearly 2.8% to $142.31 on Thursday after the hacking was revealed.

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About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
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Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

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