Razer says it is investigating a "potential hack" of its systems that may have impacted its Razer Gold digital currency.
The hack was first reported on Twitter by Falconfeeds.io, which said that "a user in the hackers forum claims to be selling the Razer (http://razer.com) database, source code, encryption key, etc." It said the authenticity of the claim had not been verified, but noted that Razer had suffered a data leak in 2020, presumably a reference to the accidental reveal of more than 100,000 accounts in September of that year.
The hacker is asking $100,000 in Monero for the full package, Monero being a cryptocurrency that promises total anonymity for its users: While most mainstream cryptocurrencies can be verified and traced, Monero "uses various technologies to ensure the privacy of its users." Personally, I think being able to follow exactly where your digital pseudo-money is going is a good thing, but I can see why extortionists and other criminals might have different priorities.
Anyway, in response to that tweet, Razer said it had "been made aware of a potential breach" and was currently investigating.
Razer Gold is a digital wallet and virtual currency—but not a cryptocurrency, as far as I can tell—that Razer diehards can use to purchase games and other products. Making purchases with Razer Gold also earns users Razer Silver, a separate rewards program currency that can be redeemed for different sorts of Razer stuff. It's not clear at this point what exactly is up for grabs in this hacker's offering, assuming it's legit, or how individual users might be impacted.
At last check, Razer had not confirmed whether a breach had taken place, but it does appear to be taking the possibility seriously. "We were alerted to a potential hack on July 9, 2023 impacting Razer Gold," Razer said in a statement sent to PC Gamer. "Upon learning about the breach, the team immediately conducted a thorough review of all Razer’s websites and have taken all necessary steps to secure our platforms.
"Razer is still in the midst of investigations, and we remain committed to ensuring the digital safety and security of all our customers. Once investigations have concluded, Razer anticipates that we will report this matter to the relevant authorities."
For now, this is an abundance-of-caution moment: If you have a Razer account, it would probably be a good idea to change your password.
