In a shocking turn of events, a hacker going by the alias “Shooked” has exposed the personal information of more than 180,000 users of Esport North Africa (ESNA) just ahead of the highly anticipated tournament in Morocco. The massive 3 GB data dump, which Shooked claims to be the entire database, was unveiled on Breach Forums on the morning of Wednesday, October 23, 2024, sending ripples of concern among the gaming community. With the ESNA tournament slated to kick off on Thursday, October 24th, the timing of this breach couldn’t have been more unsettling for both the organizers and participants.
For those unfamiliar with ESNA, it is a platform dedicated to fostering competitive gaming and esports development across North Africa. Hosting tournaments in popular games such as FC25, Free Fire, Street Fighter 6, and other competitive titles, ESNA provides a platform for gamers to demonstrate their skills and compete at a high level.
Upon analyzing the leaked data, the experts at Hackread.com discovered over 9 million lines of information, ultimately culminating in 180,000 unique user records after eliminating duplicate entries. The exposed data includes user IDs, countries of origin, usernames, IP addresses, timestamps, session IDs, WordPress URLs, and approximately 179,224 email addresses, among other details that paint a comprehensive picture of the affected individuals.
It is essential to note that while sensitive financial information and passwords were not disclosed in this breach, the legitimacy of the exposed data cannot be disregarded. Hackread.com has reached out to ESNA for an official statement to confirm the validity of the leak and assess the extent of the potential impact on the affected users.
The gaming industry and its enthusiasts have long been prime targets for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities for financial gain. In a previous study conducted by Akamai, it was revealed how hackers leveraged the Dark Frost Botnet to launch DDoS attacks against gaming companies and players, highlighting the persistent threat posed by malicious actors in the gaming ecosystem.
To mitigate the risks of falling victim to malicious activities post-breach, users with ESNA accounts are strongly advised to proactively change their passwords as a precautionary measure. Additionally, heightened vigilance against phishing attempts from bad actors masquerading as ESNA representatives is paramount to prevent exploitation of the breached information.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve and expand, cybersecurity remains a critical aspect that both companies and users must prioritize to safeguard sensitive data and uphold trust within the gaming community. The incident involving ESNA serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present cybersecurity threats that lurk in the digital realm, underscoring the importance of robust security measures and user awareness to combat such breaches effectively.