Atlas Menu cheat service hacked, exposing 64,000 users

Atlas Menu, a cheat service providing unauthorized software modifications for the video game Grand Theft Auto V, has been hacked, according to the data breach notification website Have I Been Pwned. The security breach exposed the personal data of almost 64,000 users. According to Have I Been Pwned, which reported that almost 64,000 accounts were part of the breach, the stolen data included users’ email addresses, usernames, scrambled passwords, IP addresses, and support tickets.

The incident is particularly notable given that Atlas Menu previously claimed to offer “secure authentication and enhanced privacy through our advanced encryption techniques,” according to its official site. The website for the cheat service is currently offline, and the owners of Atlas Menu could not be reached for comment. Before the site went down, a video posted on its website demonstrated the specific features offered by the service, such as “invisibility,” a “super jump” which allowed the player to jump higher than normal, and the ability to fly through the game’s map.

The hacker who claimed responsibility for the breach posted the stolen data on GitHub. The hacker’s motivation appeared to be revenge against a scammer. The impact of the breach appears to expose users who signed up to Atlas Menu to cheat on the game. Game cheats have evolved into a multimillion-dollar business, as professional gamers seek an advantage over their competitors. This incident underscores the inherent security risks within the multimillion-dollar game cheat industry. Atlas Menu is not the first such platform to face a security failure; a popular cheat service for the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was also reportedly breached a few years ago.

Why it matters

The breach exposes the personal data of almost 64,000 users of a cheat service for Grand Theft Auto V, highlighting the risks associated with the multimillion-dollar game cheat industry.