Exclusive: GAME 'Hack' a Copy-Paste Job; Retailer 'Frustrated'
But is indifferent to diverse media reports.
Not an online shop, this afternoon.
GAME's communications director has called the GAME hacking scare a "frustrating" experience in an exclusive interview with SPOnG, as we learn that the allegedly leaked database originated from an entirely different list of unassociated passwords and email addresses that were posted 18 months ago.
SPOnG has accessed the original list and can confirm that the Pastebin dump, rumoured to be a source of customer account details for GAME's e-retailer website, is a simple cut and paste from an older, and larger list on email addresses and passwords.
Speaking on concerns over the company's reputation over the hoax, GAME's Simon Soffe exclusively told SPOnG, "It’s frustrating. There are plenty of things that keep you busy when you’re a retailer, either on the high street or online, and you don’t need people creating trouble for you.
"I think anybody who runs an e-commerce business and is looking after customer’s details needs to take it very, very seriously. And we do - that’s why we were surprised by the allegation this afternoon. After having run every test we could and looking at the actual details, we’ve seen that they’re not relevant to us at all and there hasn’t been a breach."
The retailer has been quick to react since the list appeared on text file resource Pastebin, discovered by Softpedia earlier today. While he lamented the incident, Soffe added that, "we know that we have a responsibility to investigate these things and to guard the data properly."
Soffe insisted that the company's security is solid. "We’ve always treated our GAME.co.uk operations with the utmost seriousness, because you’re in a position of trust with consumers. So we’ve got all the security you expect - I’m not going to go through it in public, but we’ve got all the required technology, and some very talented people looking after it."
The exec was diplomatic about the varied media reports on the incident, however. Although many outlets suggesting that the alleged hack was a reality, Soffe simply said, "It’s 2012, we have to be realistic about these things. The news moves fast, but we can respond to that, and as soon as we knew it was rubbish we told everybody."
SPOnG will publish its exclusive interview with Soffe tomorrow.
SPOnG has accessed the original list and can confirm that the Pastebin dump, rumoured to be a source of customer account details for GAME's e-retailer website, is a simple cut and paste from an older, and larger list on email addresses and passwords.
Speaking on concerns over the company's reputation over the hoax, GAME's Simon Soffe exclusively told SPOnG, "It’s frustrating. There are plenty of things that keep you busy when you’re a retailer, either on the high street or online, and you don’t need people creating trouble for you.
"I think anybody who runs an e-commerce business and is looking after customer’s details needs to take it very, very seriously. And we do - that’s why we were surprised by the allegation this afternoon. After having run every test we could and looking at the actual details, we’ve seen that they’re not relevant to us at all and there hasn’t been a breach."
The retailer has been quick to react since the list appeared on text file resource Pastebin, discovered by Softpedia earlier today. While he lamented the incident, Soffe added that, "we know that we have a responsibility to investigate these things and to guard the data properly."
Soffe insisted that the company's security is solid. "We’ve always treated our GAME.co.uk operations with the utmost seriousness, because you’re in a position of trust with consumers. So we’ve got all the security you expect - I’m not going to go through it in public, but we’ve got all the required technology, and some very talented people looking after it."
The exec was diplomatic about the varied media reports on the incident, however. Although many outlets suggesting that the alleged hack was a reality, Soffe simply said, "It’s 2012, we have to be realistic about these things. The news moves fast, but we can respond to that, and as soon as we knew it was rubbish we told everybody."
SPOnG will publish its exclusive interview with Soffe tomorrow.
Companies:
Game
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