Android game dev’s Google Drive misconfig highlights cloud security risks

Japanese game developer Ateam has experienced a significant security lapse due to a Google Drive misconfiguration, potentially exposing sensitive information for nearly one million individuals over six years and eight months. The firm, known for mobile games like War of Legions and Dark Summoner, discovered on November 21, 2023, that it had mistakenly set a Google Drive cloud storage instance to “Anyone on the internet with the link can view” since March 2017. The misconfigured instance contained 1,369 files with personal information on Ateam customers, business partners, employees, interns, and job applicants. Ateam confirmed that data from 935,779 individuals, with 98.9% being customers, was exposed, emphasizing the need for companies to secure their cloud services properly. While the likelihood of independent discovery is low, such incidents highlight the importance of preventing data exposure through secure cloud configurations.