Xbox Series X Graphics Source Code Stolen from AMD, Hacker Wants $100m

Ben Bayliss March 26, 2020 12:04 PM EST

The hacker values the files at $100m and will release them unless there's a buyer.

The Xbox Series X is due to launch later this year, and while we’ve been given a good look at the consoles technical doo-hickey internals, there’s now a hostage situation unfolding as a hacker claims to have hacked into an unprotected computer and nicked the graphics source code files. The source codes are being held ransom for a pretty hefty sum.

AMD published a blog post yesterday saying that back in December 2019, they were contacted by someone who claimed to have the test files related to a subset of AMD’s current and future graphics products. According to the post, some of these files were posted online but have been taken down. There are apparently additional files still being privately held by the hacker of which AMD says “we believe the stolen graphics IP is not core to the competitiveness or security of our graphics products.”

As expected, AMD is working closely with law enforcement officials. Meanwhile, TorrentFreak states that AMD has filed “at least” two DMCA takedown notices —that you can read here— against Github repos that hosted some of the “stolen” source codes for what is believed to be related to AMD’s Navi and Arden GPUs. The Xbox Series X’s GPU is rumored to be the latter.

TorrentFreak followed the situation and the DMCA takedown notices to reach out to the person behind the repo, who said, “In November 2019, I found AMD Navi GPU hardware source codes in a hacked computer,” they add “The source code was unexpectedly achieved from an unprotected computer//server through some exploits. I later found out about the files inside it. They weren’t even protected properly or even encrypted with anything which is just sad.”

The hacker that the source for Xbox Series X GPU is part of the package they stole from the computer. “I haven’t spoken to AMD about it because I am pretty sure that instead of accepting their mistake and moving on, they will try to sue me. So why not just leak it to everyone?” they told TorrentFreak.

How much is the hacker holding the files ransom for? Apparently they’re valuing them at $100m and “If I get no buyer I will just leak everything,” they stated. The fact that AMD is taking this matter seriously and issuing a statement points to these files being legit. It just seems to be a case of what happens next.