A few days ago, a handful of Direct2Drive (owned by IGN) users decided to get cute with their computer skills and see if they could finagle a copy of Bioshock before the sales embargo was lifted. They succeeded. They snuck into IGN’s servers and got their fully paid copy a few days early.
In this day and age, most would expect IGN to shake a giant corporate finger at them and let them off the hook. Maybe a ban would be in order, but legal action?
That’s right, IGN has sent out email’s to these users who violated their agreement with the Direct2Drive service by "accessing their private servers without permission."
These users were given a few days to comply and will be contacted soon with information about how IGN’s lawyers will proceed. While I doubt that we will hear a peep out of them until the trial begins, I will be very interested to see how IGN proceeds.
After all, if there’s a worse way to gain internet credibility than prosecuting hackers I’d like to hear it. But, in the same vein, if there’s a better way to invite hackers to assault your system than letting previous ones off the hook…I’d like to hear that as well.
When it comes down to it, I guess the basic rule is: if you jump in line, you do the time.
We’ll have our ear out for more information as the story develops.
[via Kotaku]
