Paramount, the parent company of Nickelodeon, has acknowledged the recent data breach that the children’s entertainment TV channel experienced. However, they have stated that the leaked data mostly consists of old files. This news comes after a Twitter user, @GhostyTongue, claimed to have inside knowledge of a massive 500GB data leak from Nickelodeon.
Nickelodeon has confirmed that they are aware of the alleged leak and are currently investigating the situation. According to a Nickelodeon representative, the leaked content appears to be related to production files and not long-form content or employee or user data. They also mentioned that some of the leaked files seem to be decades old.
The breach has affected animators who had their projects for the channel exposed. They are requesting that people delete any leaked-related posts out of respect for the unreleased projects they were working on. Meanwhile, hackers are sharing screenshots of the alleged stolen files, including leaks from Nickelodeon’s animation department. Some of the screenshots show folders containing materials from popular shows like Monster High, Danny Phantom, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Hackread.com had the opportunity to interview @GhostyTongue, the person with inside information about the breach. According to @GhostyTongue, the leak occurred in January of this year, with unauthorized access potentially starting as early as the previous fall. Approximately 500GB of files were accessed during the breach, and a significant portion, around 10GB, was eventually released to the public.
@GhostyTongue stated that the leak was not caused by a specific hacker or an inside job. There are two versions of how the breach occurred, one involving a vulnerability in Viacom’s login portal and the other involving the correct guessing of a password and username. The exact cause remains undetermined.
The interview also revealed that @GhostyTongue discovered the leak after a friend pointed them to the original 4chan thread discussing it. @GhostyTongue also shared screenshots on Twitter showing signs of regret and apologizing for their involvement in the leak.
Regarding the individuals involved in the leak, @GhostyTongue mentioned two usernames, BowDown and IncidentalSeventy, who were allegedly involved. However, their current whereabouts are unknown, leading to rumors that they may have been apprehended or banned.
@GhostyTongue has a high level of confidence in the accuracy of the information they have shared, estimating that approximately 85% of it is accurate. They have not been contacted by any officials from Nickelodeon or law enforcement regarding the matter.
Nickelodeon’s legal team is taking action against the perpetrators and beneficiaries of the leak through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). They are actively trying to discourage the sharing of leaked content on various websites and social media platforms. However, screenshots of the alleged data are still being circulated online.
This incident is not the first time a film or television network has experienced a data breach. Sony Pictures was targeted by North Korean hackers in 2014, resulting in leaked films, script copies, and personal information. In 2017, HBO was also breached, leading to the leak of Game of Thrones episodes and sensitive data. In both cases, the perpetrators were eventually identified and faced legal consequences.
As of now, Nickelodeon has not confirmed whether the leak was the result of hacking or a cyberattack. The investigation is still ongoing, and law enforcement is focusing on the individuals allegedly involved.