Learn from Valve (Steam)

When Holiday Sales
Exposed User Data: The Steam Glitch

In 2015, a surge in Steam traffic during a holiday sale led to a caching misconfiguration, briefly exposing user data to other users. Incident Drill helps teams prepare for similar high-pressure scenarios and prevent costly privacy breaches. Learn from this incident and improve your team's resilience.

Valve (Steam) | 2015 | Privacy Bug

Practice This Scenario →

The Peril of Unexpected Scale

Modern systems face the challenge of handling unpredictable spikes in traffic. Failing to properly configure caching mechanisms under high load can lead to critical privacy vulnerabilities, exposing sensitive user data and eroding customer trust. This incident highlights the importance of rigorous testing and proactive incident response planning.

PREPARE YOUR TEAM

Simulate, Learn, and Prevent with Incident Drill

Incident Drill provides realistic simulations of incidents like the Steam 2015 Holiday Glitch. Teams practice diagnosing issues, collaborating on solutions, and communicating effectively under pressure. By experiencing these scenarios in a safe environment, you can build muscle memory and improve your team's ability to respond quickly and confidently to real-world incidents.

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Realistic Simulations

Experience incidents firsthand in a safe, controlled environment.

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Team Collaboration

Practice collaborating effectively under pressure.

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Real-time Response

Learn to diagnose and resolve issues quickly.

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Post-Incident Analysis

Identify areas for improvement and build resilience.

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Privacy Focus

Address critical privacy and security vulnerabilities.

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Gamified Learning

Engaging and effective training for all skill levels.

WHY TEAMS PRACTICE THIS

Master Incident Response

✓ Prevent data breaches
✓ Improve incident response time
✓ Enhance team communication
✓ Build confidence in handling critical situations
✓ Reduce the impact of future incidents
✓ Strengthen customer trust

Steam 2015 Glitch Timeline

Holiday Sale Begins Traffic surge increases dramatically.

Caching Misconfiguration Caching system fails to isolate user data. ERROR

User Data Exposure Users report seeing other users' account information.

Steam Shuts Down Valve temporarily shuts down Steam to investigate and fix the issue.

Service Restored Steam is brought back online with caching issues resolved. SUCCESS

How It Works

Step 1: Identify the Trigger

Uncover the conditions that led to the caching misconfiguration.

Step 2: Analyze the Code

Examine the caching logic to pinpoint the vulnerability.

Step 3: Develop a Fix

Implement a solution to prevent data leakage under high load.

Step 4: Test and Deploy

Rigorously test the fix and deploy it to production.

EXPLORE MORE

Related Incidents

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When Holiday Sales Exposed User Data: The Steam Glitch