Infamous internet forum 4chan has suffered a significant data breach, with a hacker reportedly gaining deep access to its internal systems. The breach has resulted in the leak of sensitive moderator information, subscriber details, and the site’s source code.
Signs of the breach first emerged when a previously inactive section of the 4chan website unexpectedly reactivated yesterday evening, featuring the message “U GOT HACKED” across the top of the page. Soon after, users began reporting access issues, with Downdetector logging widespread outages. As of now, the website remains largely inaccessible.
4chan just got hacked hard.
The person who hacked them claimed they dumped the entire database. pic.twitter.com/26ejpQ3JTS— Yushe (@_yushe) April 15, 2025
Images of 4chan’s internal tools have since surfaced across social media, including screenshots of the site’s phpMyAdmin panel, source code, moderation tools, and user-ban templates. These materials, which should only be accessible to staff members, suggest the attacker may have gained shell access to the site’s hosting infrastructure.
Alongside technical data, the breach appears to have compromised a list of 4chan’s moderators, as well as users who volunteer to delete posts and threads but have fewer privileges than full moderators known as “janitors”. Some of the leaked accounts reportedly used identifiable email addresses, including those from .edu and even .gov domains, raising further concerns about privacy and security.
Speaking anonymously to TechCrunch, one janitor said they believe the leaked data and screenshots are legitimate. The same individual also stated that the hacker may have accessed information related to “4chan Pass subscribers” who pay for benefits like bypassing post timers and accessing exclusive boards.
Although the full scope of the breach has not been confirmed, the attack has already triggered widespread discussion online. At the time of writing, it is still not known who is responsible for the attack. Users and observers are speculating that this incident could spell the end for the forum.
(Source: TechCrunch / Reuters)
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