Valve has issued a warning to owners of its Steam Machine gaming PC, alerting them that personal details may have been compromised due to a cyberattack targeting a third-party logistics company. The breach specifically affects European customers who purchased the hardware.
The compromised data could include customer names, street addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Valve stated that the logistics company retains consumer information for up to 90 days, making this data vulnerable. Consequently, users are advised to be vigilant against potential phishing attempts via email, SMS, or phone.
In a public service announcement, Valve cautioned that scammers might use the exposed personal details to appear legitimate. These scams could involve requests to confirm deliveries, pay small customs or redelivery fees, or sign in to fake websites to "verify" orders. Valve emphasized that such communications should be treated as fraudulent.
The company also reiterated that neither Valve nor its Steam Support team would ever request passwords or Steam Guard codes. They urge users to remain highly alert while the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
This incident is not the first time Valve's services have been associated with security issues. Previously, a separate case involved a Florida man arrested for allegedly embedding cryptocurrency-stealing malware within Steam games, which reportedly led to the theft of at least $220,000 from victims' crypto wallets.
The Steam Machine, which originally went on sale in June with a starting price of $1050, quickly sold out. This hardware launch followed Valve's release of the Steam Controller in May. The affected logistics company's data breach highlights ongoing cybersecurity challenges within the hardware distribution chain.