Valve and Steam's Gabe Newell has issued an update over the weekend revealing the extent of a recent hack, and warning users to be vigilant in the future.
In the statement there was the revelation that last years security breach resulted in the probable theft of a back-up file containing "user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information" by online intruders.
Whilst they insist that credit card information and addresses were encrypted, the continued integrity of the encryption can't be verified.
The open letter to Steam users suggests keeping a close eye on credit-card activity in the coming months:
"Dear Steam Users and Steam Forum Users:
We continue our investigation of last year's intrusion with the help of outside security experts. In my last note about this, I described how intruders had accessed our Steam database but we found no evidence that the intruders took information from that database. That is still the case.
Recently we learned that it is probable that the intruders obtained a copy of a backup file with information about Steam transactions between 2004 and 2008. This backup file contained user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. It did not include Steam passwords.
We do not have any evidence that the encrypted credit card numbers or billing addresses have been compromised. However as I said in November it's a good idea to watch your credit card activity and statements. And of course keeping Steam Guard on is a good idea as well.
We are still investigating and working with law enforcement authorities. Some state laws require a more formal notice of this incident so some of you will get that notice, but we wanted to update everyone with this new information now.
Gabe"