[News](/news) EA Games hacked, stolen data selling for $28 million [Blog](/blog)[Breaches](/breaches)[Resources](/resources)[News](/news) # EA Games hacked, stolen data selling for $28 million ##### [Edward Kost](/team/edward-kost) June 14, 2021 Gaming giant [Electronic Arts](https://www.upguard.com/security-report/ea) (EA games) has lost 780 GB of sensitive gaming data in a recent data breach. The hackers compromised the company’s Frostbite engine which gave them access to the source codes of multiple EA games alongside Software Development Kits (SDKs) and property gaming frameworks. #### How was EA games hacked? The cyber criminals gained access to the data treasure trove through the gaming company’s Slack channel. First, the hackers purchased stolen cookies linked to EA’s Slack channel for $10. Browsers use cookies to save credentials to speed up the login process. The hackers exploited the cookies, logged in as the compromised employee, and message the IT department, telling them that they lost their phone and needed help with multifactor authentication to log into the corporate network. The unsuspecting IT representative obliged, and the hackers went to work. The cybercriminals posted the stolen treasure trove on a dark web forum, where it’s currently for sale for $28 million.\ ‍ The reason for the avaricious price tag is due to the depth of further compromise that’s possible if the stolen data is intelligently leveraged. Firstly, the threat actors boast that they gained access to all of EA”s services which means the new owner will be capable of exploiting all of them. And secondly, with access to the source codes of two wildly popular EA products - Frostbite game engine and FIFA 21 - a cyber criminal could develop gaming cheats. The market for gaming cheats is huge. Earlier this year, the world’s biggest game-cheat enterprise was busted in a collaborative effort between Chinese police and Tencent known as, operation “Chicken Drumstick.”  The criminal organization generated approximately $76 million in revenue selling gaming cheats though a subscription model starting at $10 a day. The clandestine application of these cheats could help gamers win millions at gaming tournaments, or at the very least, [improve their online reputation](https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-49740155). This is why the demand for gaming cheats is so high. It’s an unsettling period for EA gamers. Electronic Arts says its users shouldn’t suffer privacy breaches, but with so many options for exploitation, the impact of this breach will only be known after the black market sale is complete. ## How secure is Electronic Arts? Electronic Arts publishes video games across console, PC, and mobile platforms. The company develops and distributes sports titles, first-person shooters, simulation games, and other entertainment software through its various studios and franchises. * View our free preliminary report on Electronic Arts’s security posture * 13 risk factors, including email security, SSL, DNS health, open ports and common vulnerabilities [View Electronic Arts's score](/security-report/ea) [View score](/security-report/ea) [https://www.ea.com](/security-report/ea) ### Sign up for our newsletter UpGuard's monthly newsletter cuts through the noise and brings you what matters most: our breaking research, in-depth analysis of emerging threats, and actionable strategic insights. ## Latest news Stay up-to-date with the latest news in cybersecurity. [](/news/hugging-face-data-breach-2026-07-20) #### [Hugging Face data breach: key facts and what we know so far](/news/hugging-face-data-breach-2026-07-20) A data breach involving Hugging Face was reported in July 2026. See incident details, impact on customers, and recommended security measures. ##### [UpGuard Team](/team/upguard) July 20, 2026 [](/news/ey-data-breach-2026-07-19) #### [EY data breach: what happened and what's at risk](/news/ey-data-breach-2026-07-19) A data breach involving EY was reported in July 2026. See incident details, impact on customers, and recommended security measures. ##### [UpGuard Team](/team/upguard) July 15, 2026 [](/news/south-florida-injury-convenient-care-data-breach-2026-07-16) #### [South Florida Injury & Convenient Care data breach exposes names and Social Security numbers](/news/south-florida-injury-convenient-care-data-breach-2026-07-16) A data breach involving South Florida Injury & Convenient Care was reported in July 2026. See incident details, impact on customers, and security measures. ##### [UpGuard Team](/team/upguard) July 15, 2026 [](/news/park-west-psychology-data-breach-2026-07-16) #### [Park West Psychology data breach: what happened and what's at risk](/news/park-west-psychology-data-breach-2026-07-16) A data breach involving Park West Psychology was reported in July 2026. See incident details, impact on customers, and recommended security measures. ##### [UpGuard Team](/team/upguard) July 15, 2026 [](/news/fall-river-municipal-credit-union-data-breach-2026-07-16) #### [Fall River Municipal Credit Union data breach: what happened and what's at risk](/news/fall-river-municipal-credit-union-data-breach-2026-07-16) A data breach involving Fall River Municipal Credit Union was reported in July 2026. See incident details, impact on customers, and recommended security measures. ##### [](#) July 14, 2026 [](/news/npcil-data-breach-2026-07-16) #### [NPCIL data breach: World Leaks claims exposure of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant files](/news/npcil-data-breach-2026-07-16) A data breach involving NPCIL was reported in July 2026. See incident details, impact on customers, and recommended security measures. ##### [UpGuard Team](/team/upguard) July 14, 2026 [View all news](/news) ## Protect your organization Get in touch or book a free demo. [Contact sales](/demo) [Free demo](/demo) ##### Free instant security score ## How secure is your organization? Request a free cybersecurity report to discover key risks on your website, email, network, and brand. * Instant insights you can act on immediately * Hundreds of risk factors including email security, SSL, DNS health, open ports and common vulnerabilities [Free score](/instant-security-score)