Latest news with #AlonGal
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Time of India
4chan down days after hackers breach internal systems: Here's what happened to the notorious internet messageboard
The notorious internet messageboard 4chan remains unavailable nearly a week after a hack. News agency Reuters reported last week that the breach revealed the company's internal system. Posts circulating on social media then said that a hacker has got into the system, identifying details of the site's moderators to the public. The hack, as per the report (via Wired Magazine), came into light when a defunct section of the site sprang back to life with the words "U GOT HACKED". Reuters report then quoted Alon Gal, co-founder of Israeli cybercrime monitoring company Hudson Rock. He said the claim of a hack "looks legit". Tech news site TechCrunch also quoted a person in its report, alleging that they help moderate 4chan, further claiming that they had no reason to doubt that the leaked screenshots were real. One of the people who were reportedly exposed in the hack replied using a 4chan email address, saying the site had put out a "video statement." What is 4chan 4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website launched in October 2003 by Christopher "moot" Poole. Initially created as an English counterpart to the Japanese imageboard Futaba Channel, 4chan hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, including video games, television, literature, cooking, weapons, music, history, technology, anime, physical fitness, politics, and sports. Users typically post anonymously, and registration is not available except for staff. Over the years, it has grown to be the starting point for many viral internet memes and online communities. Groups like the hacker collective Anonymous and some far-right and misogynistic groups have allegedly used 4chan to organize or spread content.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Is 4chan gone? What happened to the notorious message board
The Brief A reported cyberattack on 4chan revealed moderator identities and backend files, according to Reuters. The site remains offline six days later, with some believing it may be permanently shut down. The hacker may have accessed 4chan's systems for over a year before striking, per PC Gamer. LOS ANGELES - The anonymous online message board 4chan — long known for its role in internet culture and more recently for hosting controversial content — has remained offline for nearly a week following a major reported hack. According to a previous report from Reuters, the breach appears to have exposed internal systems, including moderator tools and identifying information. Screenshots allegedly showing 4chan's backend infrastructure began circulating online, and a defunct section of the site briefly reappeared with the phrase "U GOT HACKED" across the top. Launched in 2003, 4chan is an anonymous imageboard where users can post text and images across a wide range of topic boards — from video games and anime to politics and adult content. The platform became known for its minimal moderation, raw tone, and viral influence on internet culture. While it played a role in meme creation and early internet activism, it also developed a reputation for hosting offensive, harmful, and sometimes extremist content. Over the years, it's been linked to various online movements, trolling campaigns, and controversial subcultures. The backstory Cybersecurity analyst Alon Gal, co-founder of Hudson Rock, told Reuters the screenshots "look legit," noting that they include backend tools and access logs. TechCrunch, which reviewed the materials, cited an unnamed 4chan moderator who said they had no reason to dispute the authenticity of the leaks. Reuters was unable to confirm the source of the breach. Emails sent to 4chan's press account went unanswered. One of the alleged moderators, contacted through a 4chan email address, directed Reuters to a video statement — which turned out to be an unrelated explicit video. A second request for comment was met with another similar link. Big picture view According to PC Gamer, the hacker may have had access to 4chan's systems for over a year before launching the attack. The breach reportedly exposed moderator and "janitor" accounts — users with limited moderation privileges — and included names tied to .edu and .gov email domains. 4chan, founded in 2003, was originally built as an anonymous hub for internet communities. Over time, it became a well-known source of internet memes, trolling, and extreme political rhetoric. The site has also been connected to the early formation of Anonymous, the rise of the alt-right, and the spread of nonconsensual AI-generated content. A 2018 Southern Poverty Law Center report linked 4chan's culture to online extremism. In 2021, the game Minecraft removed a long-standing reference to its gaming board due to its toxic reputation. What they're saying Some believe the hack may have marked the end of the platform altogether. PC Gamer reported that "with every single user of note doxxed, the site's servers decimated, and the admin team in disarray, it's unlikely 4chan will be back up soon. Or ever." One 4chan janitor told TechCrunch that the data appeared real and added, "Doxxing is a longstanding pastime on 4chan, and the possibility that we could be exposed has always been there." What's next As of April 21, the site remains offline, with no official word from its administrators about if or when it will return. With the site's infrastructure compromised and its leadership silent, longtime users and observers say the era of 4chan may be coming to an end. The Source This article is based on reporting from Reuters, published April 15, 2025, which first detailed the hack of 4chan and included commentary from cybersecurity experts. Additional reporting on the scope of the breach, user data exposure, and ongoing outage comes from PC Gamer and TechCrunch.
Sky News
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Is this the end of notorious 4Chan internet forum?
4Chan, an online forum notorious for its extreme right-wing content, appears to have been hacked - in a development some believe could spell the end of the controversial messageboard. The concept of 4Chan is simple: anonymous users share pictures and text in forums. Moderators monitor conversations, but the forum is infamous as a place for gory videos, non-consensual pornography and extremist views. The website got mainstream attention in 2014 during Gamergate - a harassment campaign against women in gaming that resulted in bomb threats, death threats and women fleeing their homes. The harassment spread on 4Chan before the discussions were banned and moved to other similar message boards. On Monday, a message appeared on parts of the site with the words: "U GOT HACKED", according to Wired magazine. As the website went down, reports began circulating saying the hackers were a rival internet faction and were releasing the personal details of moderators. "What we're seeing looks like a classic case of cybercriminals turning on each other - a digital turf war," Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point, told Sky News. "This isn't new. Just as organised crime groups fight for ownership, power, and control in the real world, online gangs splinter, clash, and compete for status and influence." 1:22 Alon Gal, co-founder of Israeli cybercrime monitoring company Hudson Rock, said the claim of a hack "looks legit" and cited screenshots purporting to show 4chan's backend infrastructure. "What makes this dangerous is that these internal battles can be just as disruptive as external hacks," said Mr Stewart. "When a splinter group goes rogue, it's not just reputation at risk - credentials, communication logs, and access to systems can all be thrown into the fire." The fact that people's identities are reportedly being leaked could be a particular concern for 4Chan moderators. Emiliano De Cristofaro, a computer science and engineering professor at UC Riverside, told Wired: "There might be some 'high profile' users exposed as moderators - traditionally, 4chan users hate them, so they might be targeted." Although the site appears to be slowly and stutteringly coming back online, it may have suffered fatal damage, according to Mr De Cristofaro. "It might be hard or at least painfully slow and costly for 4chan to recover from this, so we might really see the end of 4chan as we know it," he said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Notorious internet messageboard 4chan has been hacked, posts claim
By Raphael Satter WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The notorious internet messageboard 4chan has been hacked, according to posts circulating online, some of which said that a the hacker involved had revealed identifying details of the site's moderators to the public. The alleged hack first came to light when a defunct section of the site sprang back to life with the words "U GOT HACKED" emblazoned across the top, according to Wired magazine. Alon Gal, co-founder of Israeli cybercrime monitoring company Hudson Rock, said the claim of a hack "looks legit," citing the publicly circulating screenshots purporting to show 4chan's backend infrastructure. The publication TechCrunch cited an unnamed 4chan moderator as saying they had no reason to dispute the authenticity of the screenshots, and the site was only intermittently available on Tuesday. Reuters could not immediately confirm the details of the incident, nor who might be behind the alleged hack. Messages sent to 4chan's press email went unreturned. One of the two dozen or so alleged moderators purportedly exposed in the hack wrote back using their 4chan email address to say that the site had released a "video statement." The user then pointed Reuters to an unrelated, explicit four-minute video montage. A request for further information was followed by a link to a different video with similar content. Sparely designed, aggressively irreverent and lightly moderated, 4chan has for years served as an incubator for some of the internet's most viral memes, as well a range of subcultures. The amorphous internet vigilante group Anonymous coalesced on 4chan, as have extreme misogynists colloquially known as "incels" and elements of America's extreme right. It has long been notorious as a place to share gory videos, and more recently became known for hosting AI-generated nonconsenual pornography.
Reuters
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Notorious internet messageboard 4chan has been hacked, posts claim
WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - The notorious internet messageboard 4chan has been hacked, according to posts circulating online, some of which said that a the hacker involved had revealed identifying details of the site's moderators to the public. The alleged hack first came to light when a defunct section of the site sprang back to life with the words "U GOT HACKED" emblazoned across the top, according to Wired magazine. Alon Gal, co-founder of Israeli cybercrime monitoring company Hudson Rock, said the claim of a hack "looks legit," citing the publicly circulating screenshots purporting to show 4chan's backend infrastructure. The publication TechCrunch cited an unnamed 4chan moderator, opens new tab as saying they had no reason to dispute the authenticity of the screenshots, and the site was only intermittently available on Tuesday. Reuters could not immediately confirm the details of the incident, nor who might be behind the alleged hack. Messages sent to 4chan's press email went unreturned. One of the two dozen or so alleged moderators purportedly exposed in the hack wrote back using their 4chan email address to say that the site had released a "video statement." The user then pointed Reuters to an unrelated, explicit four-minute video montage. A request for further information was followed by a link to a different video with similar content. Sparely designed, aggressively irreverent and lightly moderated, 4chan has for years served as an incubator for some of the internet's most viral memes, as well a range of subcultures. The amorphous internet vigilante group Anonymous coalesced on 4chan, as have extreme misogynists colloquially known as "incels" and elements of America's extreme right. It has long been notorious as a place to share gory videos, and more recently became known for hosting AI-generated nonconsenual pornography, opens new tab.
