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Old source code for Valve games CS:GO and TF2 ended up leaked online

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Seems the steampipes sprung a bit of a leak recently, as it's been confirmed that both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Team Fortress 2 had their source code put up online.

The popular but unofficial website SteamDB confirmed it on Twitter, with Valve following up from the CS:GO Twitter account later to also confirm it. There seemed to be some panic, with a claim of an exploit out in the wild although that doesn't appear to be true. Valve said:

"We have reviewed the leaked code and believe it to be a reposting of a limited CS:GO engine code depot released to partners in late 2017, and originally leaked in 2018. From this review, we have not found any reason for players to be alarmed or avoid the current builds."

"As always, playing on the official servers is recommended for greatest security."

"We will continue to investigate the situation and will update news outlets and players if we find anything to prove otherwise. In the meantime, if anyone has more information about the leak, the Valve security page (next tweet)* describes how best to report that information." *Valve Security Info

From additional info sent out from Valve, they did also confirm in these emails that the leak contained TF2 code too. Update: Valve also now confirmed the TF2 leak on the official Twitter.

Not a situation any game developer wants to be in, while nothing may have come out of it just yet that's not to say it won't cause issues later as more people seek to get a copy of it. That's part of why Valve has a Bug Bounty program, where they pay people who find valid issues.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Steam, Valve
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About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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Mar2ck Apr 23, 2020
QuoteFrom additional info sent out from Valve, they did also confirm in these emails
Did you email them personally to confirm this?
Liam Dawe Apr 23, 2020
Quoting: Mar2ck
QuoteFrom additional info sent out from Valve, they did also confirm in these emails
Did you email them personally to confirm this?
Yes. They have now said so about TF2 in public. Added the link.
Zlopez Apr 23, 2020
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There is no better prevention to leak, than having the code open. :-)
LungDrago Apr 23, 2020
Quoting: ZlopezThere is no better prevention to leak, than having the code open. :-)

That's some fortune cookie wisdom from enlightened open-source gurus :D
Liam Dawe Apr 23, 2020
Quoting: PatolaWhat about the remote code execution found in Team Fortress 2?
Quoting: PatolaWhat about the remote code execution found in Team Fortress 2?
Valve said it's not an issue. The code is older. Some of the twitter posts that originally claimed that one exists have been deleted.
Philadelphus Apr 23, 2020
Quoting: PatolaWhat about the remote code execution found in Team Fortress 2?
I've seen this debunked on a few sites now, though I'm sure Liam can get us an authoritative quote better than my "I read it on the Internet". :)
Liam Dawe Apr 23, 2020
Quoting: Philadelphus
Quoting: PatolaWhat about the remote code execution found in Team Fortress 2?
I've seen this debunked on a few sites now, though I'm sure Liam can get us an authoritative quote better than my "I read it on the Internet". :)
Valve have already clearly said there's no current issue in their tweets from both the CS:GO and TF2 accounts, as linked in the article. Don't trust random twitter accounts on old leaked code.
robvv Apr 23, 2020
Certainly not condoning the leakage, but maybe studying the code will aid those students wishing to become coders in the future.
Grimfist Apr 23, 2020
Even if this RCE would still exist, we Linux games wouldn't probably need to fear it, cause most likely this malicious code would target Windows :D
Ehvis Apr 23, 2020
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Quoting: GuestI'll see myself out...

Missed opportunity, you should have checked yourself out. :P
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