This spring, Nintendo users began to report in droves that their accounts had been hacked, with unknown individuals logging into their accounts from around the world. Even worse, many victims lose money as a result of such compromises.
ZDNet journalists write that this wave of hacks starts around the middle of March 2020, and last weekend it reached its peak. So, in recent days, more and more users have received email notifications that unauthorized persons with suspicious IP addresses have accessed their profiles.
At the same time, it is still unclear exactly how the attackers hack accounts. Perhaps hackers use credential stuffing attacks, but this is just one theory. Let me remind you that this term refers to situations where usernames and passwords are stolen from some sites and then used against others. That is, the attackers have a ready-made database of credentials (purchased on the darknet, collected on their own, and so on) and try to use this data to log in to any sites and services under the guise of their victims.
However, many victims claim that they used complex and unique passwords for their accounts, including those created using password managers. This means that hackers can use more than just credential stuffing and sort out the most common combinations of accounted data.
Often, victims also report the loss of money as a result of hacking. In some cases, hackers buy Nintendo games at someone else's expense, but more often than not, attackers purchase Fortnite in-game currency through a card or PayPal linked to a Nintendo profile.
Many similar complaints can be found on social media. Although there is no exact data yet on the number of hacked accounts, the problem is clearly significant. Famous personalities were also affected by the attacks, for example, the editor of game reviews of the ArsTechnica publication.
Citing their own sources in the cybersecurity community, ZDNet journalists write that they found on the Internet a lot of fresh announcements about the sale of Fortnite game currency, V-bucks, purchased from Nintendo Switch accounts. Researchers believe that these ads may be related to what is happening.
