The imageboard 4chan recently experienced a significant security breach, allegedly carried out by a user from the rival imageboard community, Soyjak.st. The breach, occurring since April 15th, led to the leaking of 4chan’s admin credentials and source code.
A Soyjak.st user claimed responsibility, stating they accessed 4chan’s custom codebase, Yotsuba, causing substantial downtime and issues like broken images and non-functional links across multiple boards. This initially appeared to be due to server problems or a DDoS attack but was later revealed to be a more severe compromise.
Leaked portions of the Yotsuba source code appeared on various platforms, including Telegram and GitHub. Initial validation suggests the files align with 4chan’s backend, revealing core PHP scripts, administrative tools, and potential security weaknesses. Although 4chan does not store sensitive user information, the breach of its source code could expose undocumented behaviors and vulnerabilities.
Additionally, a text file with email addresses, usernames, and IP addresses of 4chan admins and moderators was leaked, verified by Hackread.com, and found to contain 219 email addresses. The attacker’s true affiliation with Soyjak.st is not confirmed, as they could be using the name for notoriety.
4chan administrators have expressed serious concern about the breach, as reflected in internal chats accessed by an independent security researcher known as Brando. This incident underscores the need for stronger security practices among imageboard platforms. Users are advised to be cautious with any links or files claiming to be from 4chan, given the heightened risk of phishing attempts following this breach.
The breach highlights the confrontation between user bases of different imageboards, pointing to the growing necessity for robust security measures and vigilance among these online communities.
