Massive Steam Data Breach Reportedly Exposes Millions of Accounts

A major data breach has reportedly affected over 89 million Steam accounts, with user information allegedly being sold on the dark web. While Valve has made significant efforts to improve Steam’s security in recent years, this incident has raised new concerns, prompting users to update their passwords and enable additional protection measures.

Steam, which first launched in 2003, has grown into the leading platform for digital PC game distribution. Recently, it hit a milestone with over 40 million users online at once, a testament to its dominance. Despite this success, the platform now faces scrutiny after a report from cybersecurity firm Underdark claimed that a massive trove of Steam user data is being sold online for just $5,000. The compromised data reportedly includes phone numbers, user profiles, one-time codes, and SMS logs.

Although the breach is believed to have come through a third-party vendor and not Steam directly, users are being urged to stay vigilant. Recommended precautions include changing passwords, activating two-factor authentication, and watching for suspicious emails or potential phishing attempts. Valve has yet to issue an official statement on the situation.

Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Steam Joins Growing List of Gaming Platforms Hit by Cyberattacks

This isn't an isolated incident in the gaming industry. Earlier this year, Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games disclosed that one of its admin accounts was compromised, leading to a breach. Similarly, Game Freak suffered a major leak in 2024, exposing unreleased Pokémon titles, game source codes, and sensitive employee data. Companies like Sony, Insomniac, and Ubisoft have also experienced cyberattacks in recent years.

While Steam remains a major force in PC gaming, Valve has encountered other challenges lately. Following the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 in January, sales of the Steam Deck dropped significantly, falling from third to 47th place on the Steam hardware charts. Despite selling an estimated four million units since its 2022 launch, the handheld now faces increased competition in the market.

---Silviya.Y