Steam database hacked

The online distribution and game service Steam has announced that it's forums, servers and database had all been hacked. The news broke yesterday afternoon after Valve confirmed spreading rumours that their users information was in jeopardy. This is the second high profile security breach in recent memory, following the continued hacking of Playstation network. Many a PC gamer turned their noses up at the difficulties suffered by their console-gamer brethren but unfortunately it is now our turn to up our security levels. It was originally thought that only their forums were breached but a public statement from CEO Gabe Newell stated:

Quote by Gabe Newell

We learned that intruders obtained access to a Steam database in addition to the forums. This database contained information including user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information.

The statement can be found in full over at the Steam forums, here.

Details on password security are mixed, with the information acquired being 'hashed' and 'salted', meaning that there is some level of protection as far as passwords and credit card information is concerned. Newell also stated that users credit card information should remain secure as there was no evidence that the encryption used for such information had been cracked.

Users are not required to change their passwords but it has been advised, especially if you are the sort who uses the same password for forums, clients and e-mails. The best piece of advice out there is to ensure that you have Steam Guard activated. To do this:

Click Steam
Go to Settings
Manage Steam Guard Account Security
Deauthorise all other computers now

For most this will be unnecessary, but given how simply it is to do and how much security it provides, it seems silly not to do so. I know just how much I have on my Steam account and I sure don't want to jeopardise it!