Hacker Leaks Xbox Series X GPU Source Code

AMD has confirmed that a hacker has stolen and leaked some of the source code for its custom Xbox Series X graphics processor, as well as that for an upcoming PC-based graphics card.

“We believe the stolen graphics IP is not core to the competitiveness or security of our graphics products [and] we are not aware of the perpetrator possessing any other AMD [intellectual property],” an AMD statement explains. “We are working closely with law enforcement officials and other experts as a part of an ongoing criminal investigation.”

AMD says that it was first contacted about the theft in December 2019, so we can guess that this week’s admission won’t be a surprise to Xbox Series X maker Microsoft. But this episode is just the latest in a series of AMD leaks, marketing gaffs, and other issues that must confound the software giant.

For example, in January, AMD inexplicably published a video purporting to show off the Xbox Series X expansion ports, but the image it used wasn’t accurate or sourced from Microsoft. And while the 15-inch Surface Laptop is available in an AMD variant for consumers, that version is notable only for its poor performance and battery life.

In any event, the hacker that stole AMD’s IP contacted the website Torrentfreak looking for bids on the theft. They were seeking about $100 million from potential buyers and threatened to post all of the source code online if a buyer wasn’t found. AMD has since filed multiple Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown orders against sites like GitHub where some of the source code had, in fact, been posted.