Massive leak at Disney: private discussions, passwords, and secret projects hacked
Disney has been hacked for over 1TB of confidential data. The hacker group Nullbulge claimed this massive attack and uploaded the stolen files on pirate forums. Among them, we find private Slack discussions of employees, passwords, but also top secret projects like a new Alien game or exclusive Fortnite content.
Disney has been hacked for over 1TB of confidential data! The hacker group Nullbulge claimed this massive attack and uploaded the stolen files on pirate forums. Among them, we find private Slack discussions of employees, passwords, but also top secret projects like a new Alien game or exclusive Fortnite content.
What does this monumental leak contain?
According to Numerama, here is what leaked from Disney’s servers during this unprecedented hack:
- Over 10,000 Slack channels with all employee conversations, including private discussions and password sharing. The largest channel is 30GB and filled with cat photos.
- Details about the development of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, a new Alien game planned for 2025. It reveals that it will contain about ten missions, new soldiers, and enemies.
- Concept art of Fortnite skins featuring characters from Predator, Die Hard, or even Family Guy! Including a skin of John McLane with a gun taped to his back.
- A new character from the animated series Gravity Falls.
- In total, 1.1TB of data ended up in the wrong hands. A real treasure for cybercriminals.
Who are the Nullbulge hackers?
The hacker group Nullbulge, who claimed this attack, presents themselves as “hacktivists protecting artists’ rights.” Their motivation? To denounce Disney’s contract management and their use of artificial intelligence that they believe harms the creative industry.
To infiltrate Disney’s systems, the hackers allegedly compromised an employee’s computer through malware hidden in a video game extension. They were then able to extract this colossal amount of data before exposing it to the public eye.
Disney remains silent
For now, Disney has not officially confirmed being hacked, only stating they are “investigating the matter.” But it’s hard to deny the evidence given the public files and their extent.
This monumental cyberattack is reminiscent of the previous one at Sony Pictures in 2014, where 100TB of data leaked, even leading to the cancellation of a movie. Hopefully, the consequences will be less dramatic for Disney.
Embarrassing revelations
Beyond the projects Disney would prefer to keep secret, this leak could be particularly embarrassing due to the private conversations of employees found in it.
Already, there are unflattering comments about certain films or individuals, as well as personal details. The 30GB of cat photos could tarnish the company’s image!
The leaked passwords and access will also force Disney to urgently review its cybersecurity. Hackers could use this information to launch new attacks.
A case to follow
This historical hack promises to make headlines in the coming days. Embarrassing revelations, leaks about future projects, or even blackmail or sale of data to the highest bidder… The consequences could be multiple for Disney.
Will the company be able to contain the damage and suppress the scandal? Do they have a strong enough foundation to overcome such a crisis? Answers will come in the following weeks.
Meanwhile, this case once again illustrates the dangers of the digital world and the limitations of cybersecurity, even for the largest companies.
Header image credit: MDN Montage
