Video game company Nintendo has confirmed in a blog post that 160,000 accounts using its services have been hacked with the personal information of users exposed. According to the company, hackers used a flaw associated with the Nintendo Network ID logins to gain access to the affected accounts. This comes via Mass Live.
The company says that it is ending the ability to log in using this method and it will be notifying those accounts that have been affected – allowing them to change their passwords.
All platforms that use Nintendo accounts are considered vulnerable, including the highly popular Nintendo Switch.
While Nintendo says that no financial data was compromised, user nicknames, date of birth, country, region, and email addresses were exposed. This information can easily be used by cybercriminals to track down other accounts associated with the respective email addresses.
The company warned users who have the same password for their Nintendo accounts that their balances, registered credit card or PayPal accounts may be illegally used at the virtual My Nintendo Store or Nintendo eShop. The credit card information itself was not exposed.
Highsnobiety confirms that Nintendo was aware of the hacks since the beginning of April by hackers using others’ Nintendo Network IDs without permission.
In the wake of the hack, passwords are now being reset for affected accounts and Nintendo is temporarily disabling the ability to log in to Nintendo Accounts through the NNID system.
Now, the company is advising users to change their account passwords and set up two-factor authentication if they haven’t already. Nintendo is also asking affected users to contact the company so it can investigate the purchase history and cancel purchases.
Nintendo’s announcement follows weeks of users complaining on social media of missing funds from their Nintendo accounts, with many noting purchases of Fortnite VBucks currency being made.
If you haven't enabled 2FA on your Nintendo account, I highly recommend it. My dad's account was hacked today, luckily without a card on it. Been hearing a lot of people having this happen, so take some preventive steps with 2FA ?
— Andrew (Beta64) (@Beta64Official) April 21, 2020
To the Italian who hacked my Nintendo account….. was spending £80 on Fortnite V-Bucks of all things really worth it?
— ellie (53) (@pxpperpotts) April 25, 2020
Edited by Luis Monzon
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