Nintendo Confirms Server Breach, Says No Important Data Was Stolen

Nintendo has confirmed that hackers have accessed some of its systems, but the company says that no sensitive data was stolen in the process. Here's what happened and who claims to be behind it.

What Happened and Who's Behind the Attack

The hacking group known as the Crimson Collective claimed responsibility for breaching Nintendo's infrastructure. According to Hackmanac on Twitter, the hackers posted the supposed proof online that revealed what looked like folders and files from the intrusion.

Nintendo responded to the information in a statement made to The Sankei Shimbun, stating that the breach did not involve any development or business information. Moreover, no personal or payment data from players has been affected by the breach.

The company also underlined that the incident was limited to external web servers, which are used mainly for hosting public sites. These services are not used for storing user data or internal game assets.

The Crimson Collective Is Making a Name for Itself

Crimson Collective recently claimed responsibility for a supposed breach of Red Hat. The group claims to have accessed private repositories and exfiltrated around 570 GB of data.

Crimson Collective is also reportedly going after AWS cloud instances, looking to compromise cloud infrastructure.

The pattern is simple. Breach the online resource, steal data and try to blackmail companies into paying so that the stolen information doesn't end up online.

Nintendo is also known as a company that takes drastic measures. In August 2024, hackers breached the servers and compromised source code, concept art, and thousands of data files of Game Freak, the Nintendo partner that develops Pokémon.

In the meantime, Nintendo has launched a legal offensive to find the individual or people behind one of the largest Pokémon-related leaks in franchise history, dubbed 'Teraleak' by the gaming community.

How Gamers Can Stay Safe

1. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your Nintendo account.
2. Use a strong, unique password and never reuse it on other sites.
3. Watch out for phishing emails pretending to be from Nintendo. They might try to trick you into clicking fake login links.
4. Avoid downloading "leaked" game files or mods from forums; they often contain malware.
5. Keep your devices protected with reliable security solutions, such as Bitdefender Premium Security.

Nintendo Incident FAQ

1. Was my Nintendo account hacked?
No. Nintendo says no personal or payment information was exposed in the data breach.

2. Who are the Crimson Collective hackers?
A group known for claiming cyberattacks on large tech companies. Their latest claim targets Nintendo, but it hasn't been verified.

3. Is this connected to the Pokémon leaks?
The two incidents are likely unrelated. The Pokémon leaks came from a separate breach at Game Freak in 2024.

4. Should I change my password?
It's always smart to change the password after a security incident, especially if you used the same password on multiple websites.

5. What's the best way to stay protected?
Turn on 2FA, avoid suspicious links, and use trusted cybersecurity software like Bitdefender Premium Security for 24/7 protection.