Skip to main content

Gawker hacked, 1.5 million accounts compromised

gawker-hack-attack-millions-of-accounts-compromised
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As seems to be the norm lately, Gawker was hacked and taken down this weekend by a group with loose ties to 4chan, the Internet equivalent of a pirate island. All Websites under the Gawker Media brand–Lifehacker, Gawker, Gizmodo, Jezebel, io9, Jalopnik, Kotaku, Fleshbot, Deadspin–were affected by the attack as well. 1.5 million usernames and passwords were compromised in the attack. After taking over the Gawker site, the hackers who call themselves “Gnosis” published the passwords of site staff members and published a long list of users whose password was “password.” Having a good time, the hackers shared bits and pieces of Gawker’s custom CMS source code as well.

Below is a quote from one of the hackers, posted on Mediaite.

Recommended Videos

“We went after Gawker because of their outright arrogance. It took us a few hours to find a way to dump all their source code and a bit longer to find a way into their database. We found an interesting quote in their Campfire logs:

Hamilton N.: Nick Denton Says Bring It On 4Chan, Right to My Home Address (After
The Jump)

Ryan T.: We Are Not Scared of 4chan Here at 210 Elizabeth St NY NY 10012

I mean if you say things like that, and attack sites like 4chan (Which we are not affiliated to) you must at least have the means to back yourself up. We considered what action we would take, and decided that the Gawkmedia “empire” needs to be brought down a peg or two. Our groups mission? We don’t have one.

We will be releasing the full source code dump along with the database at 9PM GMT today. You are the only outlet we have told the release time.”

While initially denying the attack, Gawker has issued an apology to its users on all of its sites, urging them to change their passwords because of the attack. Though passwords were encrypted, simple passwords (such as “password”) may be cracked by group, which has a complete copy of the entire account database.

“We understand how important trust is on the internet, and we’re deeply sorry for and embarrassed about this breach of security—and of trust,” said Lifehacker. “We’re working around the clock to ensure our security (and our commenters’ account security) moving forward. We’re also committed to communicating openly and frequently with you to make sure you understand what has happened, how it may or may not affect you, and what we’re doing to make sure this never happens again.”

If you have ever commented on any of the Gawker sites, we recommend that you go and change your password. What do you think of this rise of Internet hacking groups? Is it better when hacking is done in the dark or when it’s out in the public like this and Operation Payback?

Jeffrey Van Camp
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Topics
This Lenovo ThinkPad laptop is over $1,400 off — hurry while stocks last!
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 Intel laptop on a white background.

Now's an excellent time to take advantage of laptop deals from Lenovo, which has slashed the prices of a wide range of devices for its Black Friday in July sale. Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops are up to 45% off, and here's one of the most interesting offers available with such a discount — the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 at $1,440 off its estimated value of $3,199, so you'll only have to pay $1,759. That's an excellent price for this fantastic productivity tool, but you're going to have to push forward with your purchase as soon as possible because stocks may run out at any moment.

BUY NOW

Read more
Early Prime Day deal: Samsung’s 27-inch Odyssey G3 at its annual low price
Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor on desk with keyboard and headset.

If you're ready to upgrade your monitor, this Samsung deal over at Amazon just might be your best bet. The 27-inch version of Samsung's Odyssey G3 is $130 right now, a full $100 off its regular $230 price and its lowest price of the year. It's a part of early Prime Day deals and a good sampling of what we can expect for the shopping holiday, which officially lands on July 8th. Tap the button below to see it for yourself or keep reading to see why we like this deal and why this should be your next monitor.

Buy Now

Read more
An elegant Mac app has turned my basic tasks into a whole lot of fun
Who knew switching between apps could be so much easier and elegant?
Employing the Dory app switcher on a MacBook Air

The concept of an app switcher tool is rather odd. After all, why would you need a tool for jumping between apps, when the Command+Tab shortcut works just fine and the three-finger swipe opens the Mission Control on the Mac? Well, there are solutions that work better. 

Second, when you bring the mouse and keyboard combo into the picture, the fluid convenience of the trackpad gesture flies out the window. Over the years, the developer community has produced some real app switcher gems. 

Read more