[Update] Half-Life 2 Leaked
UPDATE
Much news has surfaced since this article went live, so let me keep you updated. Here are the quick facts:
- Valve has reduced it’s online activity to a minimum to allow any more attacks.
- Valve says that there’s a good chance that not all of the source was taken, meaning that all these betas are completely fake.
- Six fake screenshots have been released (three from E3, one from another game, and two that were Photoshopped,) so unless you see the screen from www.halflife2.net, don’t take it as true.
- Some beta versions of the game which exist online contain viruses: others contain pornographic material; don’t waste your time downloading any of them, just report them to valve using the e-mail address below.
- Both the FBI and, the press can assume, Tom Ridge’s dept. of Homeland Security, are on the case.
- Several names from both Valve and ATi appear in the source code, but they are not related in the actual theft of the code. Do not report ATi’s worker “Guennada Riguer” to Valve, as he is an ATi programmer who helped Valve with some of the DirectX9 code.
- Rumors have surfaced that ATi and/or nVidea have leaked the code. These are most definately not true, and if they are, Valve has heard of them and are investigating them, so please be sure not to send Valve information they already have, if you can help it.
- helpvalve@valvesoftware.com is still open if you find any sites reporting leaks of code, beta versions of the game, false screenshots, etc.
Gamequbed.com will keep a close watch on the story and will be searching out the beta code sites to report to Valve. We suggest you do the same, as it may not launch for the N5 if we can’t get Valve back to a steady condition.
While Half-Life 2 is still just a faraway dream for us GameCube owners, it may be very much closer for some smart hackers out there. It seems Valve, the developer of Half-life and all of its expansions, has been attacked in someway that has allowed many users to get the source code for Half-Life 2.
Now, the source code is definitely not the game how most of us think it is. It isn’t a thing you are going to double-click on and magically see HL2 pop up on your screen. Actually, it is just a massive code in its beta-stages (which means it is very buggy) which would allow the right users to compile it and execute it just like it will be when it comes out later this year.
It is believed that the hackers got hold of this code by finding out many of Valve’s staff’s e-mail addresses, and by administrating keystroke loggers, were able to find thier passwords and then send the code out from there.
By the end of the attacks, the HL2 source code was available on many websites. Valve’s Gabe Newell commented on this by saying, “Well, this sucks. This has just not been the best couple of days for me or for Valve. What I’d appreciate is the assistance of the community in tracking this down. I have a special email address for people to send information to, helpvalve@valvesoftware.com. If you have information about the denial of service attacks or the infiltration of our network, please send the details. We at Valve have always thought of ourselves as being part of a community, and I can’t imagine a better group of people to help us take care of these problems than this community.”
After releasing this statement, many gamers have risen to the challenge to help Valve and have given many usernames and URL’s of people and places involved in the source leak of HL2. Newell praised those who helped in this statement: “the community has been remarkably swift at tracking down the sources of the leak. What would be most helpful now are IP addresses of the people who were responsible for the intrusion or for the denial of service attacks.” He also asked for people to, “continue to send in URLs of websites hosting the source code.”
Also, Gabe Newell revealed a whole suite of hacked programs which were used to compromise Valve’s security including a modified version of RemotelyAnywhere, a remote admin tool, Haxker Defender, a process, registry key, and file hiding tool, a key logger, and file transfer software.
There also have been reports that either ATI or nVidia have been involved in this illegal activity, in the midst of there fight over being the choice video card producer for HL2, but the chances of these accusations of being true are very slim.
Finally, if you see anything regarding Half-Life 2, from “new” screenshots to source codes, do not download them, simply email Valve at helpvalve@valvesoftware.com and thell them where these illegal files are being shared.
Half-Life 2 is set as a launch title for the N5, whenever it releases.
Source: http://www.gcadvanced.com