Hackers claim responsibility for cyberattack on 4chan platform.

Hackers have reportedly claimed responsibility for infiltrating the online message board 4chan, which experienced significant operational disruptions overnight. According to reports from users that were tracked by DownDetector.com, complaints surged starting Monday, October 30, 2023, around 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Though reports of difficulties began to wane by Tuesday morning, several hundred complaints continued to be logged before noon, with many issues concentrated in the New York area.

4chan is known for its minimal gatekeeping and lack of transparency, which contributes to its popularity among individuals seeking anonymity online. This very openness, however, has also drawn criticism for its role in the proliferation of hate speech and extremist content. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has noted that the platform is home to “extremely high levels of hateful rhetoric,” including expressions of racism, homophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and antisemitism.

A hacker collective identifying itself as the Soyjak Party made claims late Monday night regarding their breach of 4chan’s systems. They asserted their ability to leak internal coding information alongside personal details about the site’s staff. The group suggested that the infiltration forced 4chan’s administrators to temporarily take the site offline in an attempt to mitigate potential damage. They further stated “unconfirmed reports” indicated that the servers had already experienced significant compromise and might remain down for an extended period.

While the Soyjak Party’s assertions have not been independently verified, 4chan has yet to release an official statement addressing the situation. Within the threads on Soyjak’s site, some users allegedly from 4chan expressed concerns about the potential exposure of their email addresses and posting histories. Others appeared hopeful at the prospect of revealing the identities of 4chan operators, whom they accuse of overly strict moderation practices.

Discussions among users reflected apprehension, with one commenter questioning whether there might be a “shadowban” capability that had previously gone unacknowledged. As of now, the full extent of the security breach and its implications for 4chan and its users remain unclear. Media News Source continues to monitor the situation as further details emerge regarding the potential impact of this cybersecurity incident.