Teen Hacker Uses Amazon Fire Stick to Hack Rockstar Games and Leak GTA 6 Footage
A recent report by the BBC revealed that a teenage hacker, using an Amazon Fire Stick from a hotel room, managed to hack into Rockstar Games and leak unfinished footage of Grand Theft Auto 6. This hacker, named Arion Kurtaj, had previously hacked Nvidia and Uber.
Arrests and Hacking Spree
In January 2022, Kurtaj was arrested for hacking several telecom companies but was released while under investigation. However, the following month, he hacked again. Kurtaj is part of an international cyber-crime group known as Lapsus$, responsible for hacking major tech firms.
Nvidia Hack and Ransom
In February 2022, Kurtaj and his group targeted Nvidia, breaching the company’s security and leaking sensitive information. They demanded a ransom but were ultimately arrested on March 31, 2022.
Hacker’s Escapades and Hotel Leak
Before his arrest, Kurtaj was doxxed by rival hackers, which led him to be moved to a Travelodge hotel in Bicester, UK, for his own safety. Despite strict bail conditions, including a ban from the internet, Kurtaj continued his hacking activities. The leak of the GTA 6 footage from Rockstar Games was done from the privacy of the hotel room, where Kurtaj used an Amazon Fire Stick to connect to cloud computing services using a newly purchased smartphone, keyboard, and mouse.
Gameplay Clips Leaked
Kurtaj and an underage accomplice gained access to the Rockstar Games Slack, where they posed as attackers. They demanded that the developers contact them within 24 hours to prevent the release of sensitive information. Later in 2022, gameplay clips of GTA 6 were leaked, showcasing an early version of the game with two playable characters in a modern-day Vice City.
As of September 2022, Kurtaj remains in custody, awaiting the completion of the investigation and court proceedings.