4chan Returns Online Following Recent Hack
After being taken down for nearly two weeks due to a hack, 4chan is now partially back online. The site went offline on April 14, with the hacker responsible for the incident leaking data that included a list of moderators and “janitors.” One janitor confirmed the authenticity of the leaked data.
During 4chan’s extended downtime, there were speculations about the site’s demise, with some even writing premature obituaries. Journalist Ryan Broderick, in an article for Wired, highlighted the site’s evolution from an internet culture hub to a platform associated with controversial movements such as Gamergate and far-right extremism.
However, the 4chan team responded defiantly to these claims, questioning the notion that the site was dead. In a post on X, they challenged the narrative presented by critics.
Recently, 4chan made a comeback online. A post on the official 4chan blog detailed how a hacker with a UK IP address infiltrated one of the site’s servers using a fake PDF upload. This breach resulted in the theft of database tables and source code, leading to significant damage to the platform.
The post attributed the security breach to a lack of resources and financial support, as advertisers and payment providers had been pressured into withdrawing their services from 4chan. Despite the catastrophic impact of the hack, the team replaced the compromised server but implemented new restrictions, such as temporarily disabling PDF uploads and keeping a board for Flash animations offline.
As of now, 4chan’s boards and front page are accessible, although posting, image uploads, and thumbnails are still experiencing issues. Despite these challenges, the post on the official blog emphasized the resilience of the 4chan community and their determination to overcome obstacles.
4chan users can now access the site with some limitations in place, but the team remains committed to maintaining the platform and its unique community. Despite the challenges faced, 4chan’s return marks a significant moment for its users and supporters.
