More than 11 million gaming account credentials were exposed in 2024 due to infostealer malware attacks, with Asia-Pacific (APAC) emerging as the most affected region, according to new research by Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence (DFI).
Kaspersky’s analysis revealed that 5.7 million Steam accounts were compromised last year, alongside 6.2 million accounts from other platforms including Epic Games Store, Battle.net, Ubisoft Connect, GOG, and the EA app.
The APAC-focused review of leaked Steam credentials showed Thailand topping the list with nearly 163,000 compromised accounts, followed by the Philippines (93,000) and Vietnam (88,000). The lowest figures were reported in China (19,000), Sri Lanka (11,000) and Singapore (4,000).
Why APAC Is a Prime Target
Home to over 1.8 billion players, APAC dominates the global gaming market, fuelled by rapid digital adoption, widespread mobile penetration and strong demand from younger demographics. This growth, however, has also made the region a hotspot for cybercriminal activity.
“Cybercriminals often release stolen log files months — or even years — after the original compromise,” said Polina Tretyak, Digital Footprint Intelligence Analyst at Kaspersky. “Even credentials stolen years ago can resurface on dark web forums, contributing to a growing pool of leaked information.”
Tretyak added that infostealer infections are not always immediately visible, urging gamers to run security scans, remove malware, and regularly update passwords to reduce risk.
Corporate Risk from Personal Gaming Habits
The threat extends beyond gaming communities. Kaspersky found that 7 per cent of leaked accounts from platforms like Netflix, Roblox and Discord were registered using corporate email addresses. This, Tretyak warned, could be a gateway for attackers to infiltrate corporate networks.
“For example, attackers may lure an employee into installing malware on a corporate device or brute-force a weak password. If successful, they could access sensitive data or internal company resources,” she explained.
A Stealthy and Pervasive Threat
Infostealers, often disguised as cracked games or cheat software, target passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, credit card details, and browser cookies. Once stolen, this data is traded or shared on darknet forums, fuelling further attacks.
The threat is particularly dangerous in hybrid and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environments common in APAC, where personal and work activities frequently overlap on the same device.
Defensive Measures for Gamers and Companies
Kaspersky recommends individuals run full security scans, change compromised passwords, and monitor accounts for suspicious activity. Businesses are advised to proactively monitor dark web markets for leaked corporate credentials and identify potential attack vectors before they are exploited.
