Is Your Steam Account Data Safe? Valve Breaks Silence on Alleged Dark Web Leak

Over the weekend, panic started bubbling up across the PC gaming community after a LinkedIn post from Underdark.ai made a bold and worrying claim: over 89 million Steam user records were allegedly up for sale on the dark web. According to the post, a known threat actor going by the handle "Machine1337" had supposedly hacked Steam systems, offering up the data for just $5,000. Naturally, chaos ensued among Steam users.

But now, thankfully, Valve has stepped in to clear the air, and it’s not quite the cyber apocalypse many feared.

Valve Responds to Claims of 89 Million Steam User Records Being Leaked

In a statement given to GamingOnLinux, Valve confirmed that the leak is not the result of a breach in Steam’s internal systems. What actually surfaced was a batch of old, unencrypted SMS messages, including one-time login codes and the phone numbers they were sent to. These codes were valid for just 15 minutes at the time they were issued, and more importantly, Valve emphasized that no Steam accounts, passwords, or payment info were exposed.

So, what does this mean for you, the average Steam user? According to Valve, not much. You don’t need to reset your password. You don’t need to change your phone number. The leaked data can't be used to hijack your account unless you were actively using one of those expired codes from years ago, which, let’s be real, you probably weren’t.

Still, Valve’s statement did include some cautionary advice. The company reminded users to remain suspicious of any account security messages they didn’t specifically request. Phishing attempts often piggyback off fear, and this leak has already created the perfect storm for that kind of attack.

As a preventive measure, Valve also urged users to activate the Steam Mobile Authenticator, which not only adds an extra layer of protection but also ensures secure communication if any real threats ever emerge.

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So, while 89 million records being “for sale” sounds like a headline pulled straight from a dystopian tech thriller, the reality, at least according to Valve, is far less dramatic. The core systems remain untouched, and your account is still as safe as your password habits allow it to be.