The controversial image board 4Chan is once again in the spotlight this week following the posting of two significant data dumps. Previously, Mashable covered a Disney hack allegedly orchestrated by Club Penguin fans seeking retribution against the company. Now, it seems that the New York Times Company is the latest target, with its data leaked on 4Chan over the past week, including the source code for its viral Wordle game.
What Data Was Stolen?
The breach, first noticed by user @vxunderground, revealed 270GB of internal data linked to the New York Times. This data includes over 5,000 source code repositories and approximately 3.6 million files. The leaked information comprises 6,223 folders taken from the New York Times’ GitHub repository, containing internal company IT documents and source code, including Wordle, which the Times acquired in 2022.
New York Times’ Response
The New York Times confirmed to BleepingComputer that its GitHub account was breached in January 2024. The breach was attributed to a credential for the GitHub account that was “inadvertently made available,” according to the Times. The company took immediate steps to address the issue and stated that its own systems were not accessed and its operations remained unaffected.
Potential Connection to Disney Leak
It remains unclear whether there is any connection between the New York Times breach and the recent Disney leak. The New York Times’ incident highlights the ongoing challenges companies face in securing their digital assets and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
