Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red is now being held hostage by a hacker who got into their internal servers, gives them 48 hours to respond

It is no secret that the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 didn't go according to plan. The game's developers, CD Projekt Red, faced an enormous amount of flak for the debacle.

In a public statement, the studio has now announced that sensitive information and source codes had been stolen.

Important Update pic.twitter.com/PCEuhAJosR

— CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) February 9, 2021

The unidentified hackers, in a statement, said:

"If we do not come to an agreement, then your source codes will be sold or leaked online, and your documents will be sent to our contacts in gaming journalism. Your public image will go down the gutter even more, and people will see how your company functions. Investors will lose trust in your company, and the stock will dive even lower. You have 48 hours to contact us."

The hackers have also claimed to have stolen full copies of the source code for the Perforce server for Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 3, Gwent, and the unreleased version of Witcher 3.

Apart from source codes, the hackers have allegedly stolen sensitive company files related to accounting, administration, legal, HR, investor relations, and others.

CD Projekt Red had this to say in reply:

"We will not give in to the demands nor negotiate with the actor, being aware that this eventually leads to the release of the compromised data."

The developers are unwilling to give in to the demands and have already approached the relevant authorities for a full investigation. The company also stated:

"The compromised systems did not contain any personal data of our players or users of our services."

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Fans react to CD Projekt Red's hack

It's no secret that ever since the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red has fallen from grace in the eyes of fans, journalists, and investors alike.

Fans also had mixed reactions on Twitter regarding the security breach.

I wonder if they got in this way55 E9 BD 1C BD BDE9 55 1C E9 55 55E9 BD BD 1C E9 1CBD E9 1C 55 E9 BD7A E9 BD E9 7A 1C

— ROK😷✊🏿 (@blessROKk) February 9, 2021

Yeah because disappointing your customers with a video game is the exact same thing as hacking a multi million dollar company, threatening to publish sensitive corporate information and demanding fucking ransom

— teriyaki79 (@teriyaki79) February 9, 2021

I may sound like a caveman, but what exactly would leaking source code do exactly? Is it a piracy thing?

— Doodle🍵 (@doodlemug_lol) February 9, 2021

From these comments right now I'd say decency doesn't exist :(

— ✨✨Marlene✨✨ (@MarshaMay981) February 9, 2021

I mean if that turned out to be true that’s going to be the talk of media for days. But in reality they probably got hacked by some tech savvy 10 year old bc the language is not professional at all.

— Jay (@Jayoct4) February 9, 2021

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What happens next?

The developers haven't been able to catch a break since Cyberpunk 2077's launch. While there may have been a major breach of the system, an exploit that could have been achieved through mods came to light a while back.

Red Tools mod team member PixelRickyRick and Redditor Romulus_Is_Here exposed a vulnerability in a DLL file that could be used to execute code on PCs.

CD Projekt Red addressed this issue, and they subsequently dropped a hotfix.

If you plan to use @CyberpunkGame mods/custom saves on PC, use caution. We've been made aware of a vulnerability in external DLL files the game uses which can be used to execute code on PCs. Issue will be fixed ASAP. For now, please refrain from using files from unknown sources.

— CD PROJEKT RED CS (@CDPRED_Support) February 2, 2021

The company even came under flak when renowned esports journalist Jason Schreier released an investigative report about Cyberpunk 2077. In short, the journalist revealed how flawed the planning and execution of the game was.

In interviews with 20 current and former CD Projekt Red staff members, he brought to light "unchecked ambitions, technical woes, and unrealistic deadlines."

What went wrong with Cyberpunk 2077? Interviews with more than 20 current and former CD Projekt staff paint a complex picture. Unchecked ambition, technical woes, unrealistic deadlines, and above all, one belief: "We made The Witcher 3 -- it'll work out." https://t.co/T56huHkQW8

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) January 16, 2021

CD Projekt Red was also hit with two class-action lawsuits by investors for misleading them about the game's current state prior to launch.

The major hack now adds new concerns for the company, as the hacker has threatened to release private documents that could potentially further damage CD Projekt Red's reputation.