PC gamers who are currently using the Raptr and AMD Gaming Evolved chat clients may want to change their passwords immediately, as Raptr founder and CEO Dennis "Thresh" Fong reported that hackers have compromised the service and may have obtained personal information such as email addresses, user names, first and last names, and hashed passwords.
"This means that although the passwords are hashed, users with weak passwords are vulnerable to unauthorized access," Fong said.
Fong reassured users that the potential risk of having their information stolen is minimal, but if they're using the same user names and passwords on other services, these may need to be changed as well. Naturally, Web surfers are encouraged to use a different user name and password for each website and service, and use a two-step authentication process if it's made available.
"It's important to note that our two-factor authentication system used for redeeming Raptr Reward Points ensures that even if your Raptr account was among those compromised, the points you've earned as a Raptr member are protected," Fong added.
The Raptr service was launched back in 2007 and is capable of connecting to a number of popular chat services such as Facebook Chat, ICQ, Yahoo! Instant Messenger, Steam and several others. On the gaming front, users can optimize their favorite titles automatically and download the latest drivers for their system. Users can also watch clips of other gamers on their list, rack up numerous achievements, share their accomplishments on social networks and more.
AMD Gaming Evolved is basically the Raptr client focused on AMD gamers. Users can allow the client to squeeze out the best performance possible for each installed title, broadcast live on Twitch, record and upload gameplay clips, earn goodies via a rewards system for playing games and participating in the community, and so on. This version of Raptr was made available to the AMD gaming community back in September 2013.
"We're extremely sorry about this situation and are committed to further improving account security going forward," Fong promised.
Unfortunately, Fong did not provide any information regarding the number of accounts that have been exposed. He also didn't specify if the company has contacted those who have been affected by the hack. He only suggested that Raptr customers use a new password that's "reasonably complex."
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