"'NIKKE' PC Launcher Hacking Suspected... 'Emergency Update, Damage Assessment Underway'"

PC Version Users Who Launched the Game Since Oct. 24 at Risk of Infection

It has been confirmed that malware was inserted into the PC launcher for Shift Up's collectible role-playing game (RPG) "Goddess of Victory: NIKKE" in a hacking incident.

"Goddess of Victory: NIKKE." Courtesy of Shift Up.

According to the gaming industry on Nov. 4, a security report posted on GitHub the previous day said that four JavaScript files hosted on the content delivery network (CDN) server of Level Infinite, which publishes "NIKKE," were tampered with by an unidentified attacker on Sept. 27.

When users launch the game through the PC launcher, the altered CDN scripts run and cause a remote access trojan (RAT) to be downloaded from a server operated by an external attacker. If infected, hackers can use the user's privileges to execute arbitrary commands, install additional malware, record the screen, and steal account information saved in web browsers, as well as API keys, tokens, and cryptocurrency wallet data.

The report's publisher said that all users who have launched the "NIKKE" PC launcher since Oct. 24 are at risk of infection, and advised them to stop using the launcher until official action is taken and delete the malware. It also said users should change all account passwords saved in their browsers and transfer their APIs and cryptocurrency wallets to new addresses.

The specific extent of the damage, including the number of infected users and whether information was leaked, has not yet been confirmed. In a notice posted on Nov. 4, the management team said, "We have detected an abnormality suggesting that the PC launcher's script files may have been tampered with by a third party," adding that it "modified and updated the client at around 2:30 a.m." It added, "We are checking the scope of the impact caused by this incident and will announce follow-up measures separately."

"NIKKE," released by Shift Up in November 2022, is published on mobile by China's Tencent. The PC version has also been supported through a launcher developed and operated by Tencent.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.