Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

DeadLetterOffice

(1,352 posts)
Fri Dec 25, 2015, 06:06 PM Dec 2015

Steam Is Randomly Logging Users Into Other People's Accounts And Exposing Their Information [Update]

Source: Forbes

Some sort of breach or malfunction has hit Steam, the world’s largest PC gaming platform, that is allowing people access to other people’s user accounts. Not just allowing, rather, but forcing users into accounts that aren’t theirs.

That means not only access to other people’s game libraries, but more seriously, potentially harmful information like home addresses, purchase history and even credit card information.

Twitter is exploding with reports of this glitch, and the exact details are still being sorted out. Some users are getting a Russian or French or Spanish landing page instead of English. Some are reporting that they’re being logged into only one of a few different accounts whenever they try to sign in, or even simply refreshing the account page or going to a different section of the client.

It’s tough to know what to do in a situation like this, but the safest thing may be not to do anything at all. It’s unclear what exactly is going on, so staying logged out entirely is probably a good idea. With that said, others are trying to reach their own account in order to delete their payment information from Steam so in case their account is exposed, they’re safe from potential thievery. The prevailing advice at this point, however, is simply avoid trying to log in or change anything at all until we know more.





Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/12/25/steam-is-randomly-logging-users-into-other-peoples-accounts-and-exposing-their-information/

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Steam Is Randomly Logging Users Into Other People's Accounts And Exposing Their Information [Update] (Original Post) DeadLetterOffice Dec 2015 OP
Oh really? Ellen Forradalom Dec 2015 #1
Oh. that sucks. So sorry! DeadLetterOffice Dec 2015 #3
I would doubt this is related. Oneironaut Dec 2015 #16
Unrelated. TekGryphon Dec 2015 #17
But we hear from Hillary supporters that those sort of things do not happen. LiberalArkie Dec 2015 #2
Wait, what? DeadLetterOffice Dec 2015 #4
Isn't that the same thing that happened with NGP-VAN and Bernies campaign office. LiberalArkie Dec 2015 #5
You are right! The DNC is behind this ! ! DWS must resign ! !! eom reACTIONary Dec 2015 #6
Not really, but do you think people getting info is OK? joshcryer Dec 2015 #11
Pretty good stuff! marble falls Dec 2015 #14
It's not even the same thing. NuclearDem Dec 2015 #8
While I understand this and you understand this... Chan790 Dec 2015 #12
I seem to be getting lucky. NuclearDem Dec 2015 #7
I thought you were going to say you were lucky because you weren't charged for your purchases. nt bananas Dec 2015 #10
No, but I have had that happen...sort of. Chan790 Dec 2015 #13
Probably using the same incompetent webmonkeys DNC hired. bananas Dec 2015 #9
think they had a bunch of dos santas & server lag gave logon people the wrong landing page. Sunlei Dec 2015 #15

Oneironaut

(5,504 posts)
16. I would doubt this is related.
Sat Dec 26, 2015, 01:30 PM
Dec 2015

The glitch caused users to be logged in as random users. For this to be the cause, your son would have to have been extremely unlucky. There are millions of Steam users.

LiberalArkie

(15,719 posts)
5. Isn't that the same thing that happened with NGP-VAN and Bernies campaign office.
Fri Dec 25, 2015, 06:23 PM
Dec 2015

One user on a system accidentally getting another users data.

joshcryer

(62,276 posts)
11. Not really, but do you think people getting info is OK?
Sat Dec 26, 2015, 04:17 AM
Dec 2015

People getting info on other customers and potentially even making charges in their accounts? Is that OK?

 

NuclearDem

(16,184 posts)
8. It's not even the same thing.
Fri Dec 25, 2015, 10:32 PM
Dec 2015

The NGP-VAN incident was a permissions issue, and this thing with Steam looks like a caching issue.

 

Chan790

(20,176 posts)
12. While I understand this and you understand this...
Sat Dec 26, 2015, 08:55 AM
Dec 2015

I think that's not a distinction that most DUers will understand. You might as well have ascribed one or the other to fairy-magic for how much the less-technical members of DU will understand what either a permissions or caching issue is. To them, they're both computer issues that provide an end-user with information that isn't supposed to be theirs to look at where the fault lies with the software company in the middle.

 

NuclearDem

(16,184 posts)
7. I seem to be getting lucky.
Fri Dec 25, 2015, 10:30 PM
Dec 2015

I just made a couple of purchases there today--hooray, Steam winter sale--and I haven't had any problems.

Best advice is to just not do anything. Valve will work it out.

ETA - If anyone's interested, TotalBiscuit has a video going into a little bit more detail about what's going on.

 

Chan790

(20,176 posts)
13. No, but I have had that happen...sort of.
Sat Dec 26, 2015, 09:09 AM
Dec 2015

(I'm explaining all of my non-common terms in this post for the less computer savvy or people that don't play video games. I didn't want you to think I think you're an idiot or I'm patronizing you.)

A couple of years ago, Steam was push-downloading (when the server initiates the download without user permissions) patches (code-fixes) for Skyrim to everybody that had purchased Skyrim (a video game) through Steam and accidentally gave everybody a free copy of the Dawnguard DLC (additional content that adds another additional storyline as well as non-player characters, weapons, and quests to the game. Usually not free.) It doesn't double the length of the game or anything but the Dawnguard storyline is actually slightly-longer than the main storyline of the game. Dawnguard retailed at that time for around $20.

Because they were the ones initiating the downloads, Steam couldn't charge anybody for the content they didn't ask for or buy. They couldn't go back in and force-delete (server initiated file-deletion) and ended up having to pay Zenimax (the publisher of Skyrim and Dawnguard) and Bethesda Softworks (the author of Skyrim and Dawnguard) for every copy they accidentally gave away.

Eventually, because I had the extra money and because I don't want to rob content creators or see Steam bankrupted by their ineptitude...I like being able to buy and download new games in an easy way through a system that manages installation and patching...I ended up buying the content I'd received free...but most people didn't.

bananas

(27,509 posts)
9. Probably using the same incompetent webmonkeys DNC hired.
Fri Dec 25, 2015, 11:06 PM
Dec 2015

On second thought, no, there are lots of incompetent webmonkeys like the idiots Debbie Whatsername hired.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
15. think they had a bunch of dos santas & server lag gave logon people the wrong landing page.
Sat Dec 26, 2015, 12:20 PM
Dec 2015

Soon as they knew it was an issue they shutdown any stores and fixed the problem in less than an hour.

That's the positive of twitter for game companies, any bugs/glitches make twitter explode instantly.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Steam Is Randomly Logging...