4chan Hacked: Internal Data Leaked - Security Breach

4chan Internet Forum Suffers Security Breach

The well-known internet forum, 4chan, experienced a significant security incident on Tuesday.

As of the latest reports, the 4chan website was experiencing accessibility issues, with intermittent downtime reported by users across various social media platforms for several hours.

Celebration on Rival Platforms and Claims of Long-Term Access

On competing message boards, celebrations of the hack were observed. One individual asserted that the perpetrator had compromised 4chan’s systems for over a year.

Leaked Data Reveals Internal Systems

Circulating online were several screenshots purportedly depicting 4chan’s internal infrastructure. These included the site’s source code and tools used by moderators to manage users, such as banning capabilities.

The leaked information also contained a list of individuals identified as 4chan moderators and “janitors.” Janitors possess the ability to remove posts and threads, though with fewer privileges than moderators, who can also access user IP addresses.

Potential Exposure of Individuals Linked to Extremist Content

Considering 4chan’s documented connections to extremist political ideologies, this cyberattack carries the potential to expose those responsible for operating forums that have become focal points for alt-right movements.

Confirmation from an Anonymous Janitor

TechCrunch contacted several leaked email addresses and spoke with a 4chan janitor, who requested anonymity. This individual expressed confidence in the authenticity of the leaked data and screenshots.

“I have no reason to doubt their validity,” the janitor stated.

“Previous leaks have occurred within 4chan’s moderation team, but this incident represents a considerably larger issue,” the janitor explained to TechCrunch. “This situation is concerning, though many of us have long operated under the understanding that exposure is a possibility, given the nature of 4chan.”

Concerns Over Data Breach and Site Operation

The janitor voiced particular concern regarding the leaked information. “The fact that 4chan was effectively compromised by a hacker or hackers is potentially more damaging than the screenshots, at least concerning the site’s continued functionality,” they said.

It was also revealed that the hacker may have obtained personal information belonging to 4chan Pass subscribers – users who pay for access to bypass posting restrictions and a VIP board.

Lack of Response from 4chan

An email requesting comment was sent to 4chan’s press contact, but no response was received.

The Nature of 4chan and its Influence

4chan is largely an anonymous internet forum often described as the web’s darker side. It frequently functions as an image board where users attempt to provoke reactions, sometimes through extremely offensive content.

However, 4chan’s influence extends beyond its immediate community, with its cultural outputs occasionally manifesting as harmless memes or, more disturbingly, as hateful rhetoric that fuels right-wing extremism.

From Memes to Extremism

Popular internet memes such as Pepe the Frog, rage comics, and wojaks originated on 4chan before achieving widespread recognition. However, the platform’s political boards have become notorious for radicalizing users and promoting white supremacist ideologies.

The QAnon conspiracy movement, a far-right group supporting former President Donald Trump, also emerged from 4chan.

Real-World Consequences

The individual responsible for the 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand mosque shootings, which resulted in 51 deaths, was a frequent 4chan user since his teenage years.

Similarly, the 2022 Buffalo, New York grocery store shooting, where 10 Black people were killed, was perpetrated by an 18-year-old whose 180-page manifesto mirrored the online rhetoric of the Christchurch shooter.