4chan hacked, moderators’ data and source code leaked

The 4chan website has been inaccessible since the morning of April 15. Everything points to a major hack: the attackers published the credentials of the moderators, extracted correspondence, published the source code and access to the admin panel.

According to security researcher Preet Rebane, the hackers gained shell access to the servers, which allowed them to see and hack the moderator panel, extract staff correspondence and publish the site’s code. On Mastodon, Rebane wrote that “this could be just the beginning” — access to the administration opens up the possibility of changing the site’s functionality, introducing malicious code or deleting important files.

In parallel, Reddit and X users are posting screenshots of the “last post” on 4chan, claiming that this is the “end of an era”. Some express shock, others joy, given the resource’s reputation for toxic communities and right-wing content.

4chan is an anonymous imageboard created in 2003 that has become the epicenter of internet culture, memes, scandals, and online radicalism. The site has become a place for communities to form that have had both entertaining and toxic effects on the internet. Despite numerous scandals, the platform has remained afloat for a long time, maintaining its anonymity and influence.

The possible exposure of the identities of 4chan moderators could trigger a wave of doxing, harassment, and attacks on other platforms. This is another reminder that even the most “anonymous” sites can be vulnerable when shell access is in the hands of an attacker.