4chan Hacked: Source code leaked, moderator identities exposed in major breach

4chan, one of the internet’s most infamous image boards, has been hacked. The site went dark after a major security breach. The attackers exploited outdated systems, leaked the site’s source code, restored a long-deleted board, and allegedly exposed private moderator data and user IPs. The hack has triggered heated conversations across X and Reddit, particularly around user privacy and how such a massive failure could happen.

How It Happened

Hackers believed to be affiliated with the rival imageboard Soyjak.party reportedly found an opening through 4chan’s old tech stack, according to screenshots shared on Imgur (NSFW warning). The site was still running on FreeBSD 10.1, a version last updated nearly a decade ago. Outdated PHP scripts and insecure MySQL functions didn’t help either. One vulnerable file—“yotsuba.php”—was key in handling user posts and moderation. Once the attackers got shell access, they were able to mess with internal admin tools.

A user on X, @_yushe, posted screenshots showing alleged admin-level access and claimed the stolen code covered most of 4chan’s backend. There’s no solid proof yet that the full admin panel was compromised, but what’s confirmed is worrying enough.

4chan /j/ leak megathread

This is the secret board that the janitor, moderators and developers discuss the on-goings of the boards and make suggestions.

I will start off strong with a janitor suggesting that AI be implemented to help moderate the website. pic.twitter.com/e0UbD3JwnE

— Yushe (@_yushe) April 15, 2025

That’s not all, the hackers also brought back the long-gone /qa/ (Questions and Answers) board—clearly a jab at the site’s operators. On the Soyjak.party, someone even claimed responsibility and shared screenshots of private moderator chats from 4chan’s internal /j/ board. Those screenshots revealed tools moderators use to log user IPs, hosts, and general locations—setting off alarm bells for anyone concerned about privacy.

4chan Admits It Suffered Major Hack Attack

The breach, which reportedly occurred last week, appears to have been driven by personal motives. In a blog post discreetly titled “Concerning a recent intrusion”—a name that seems chosen to avoid drawing too much attention—4chan’s founder “moot” explained what happened:

What Was Leaked?

The extent of the breach is still being pieced together. Early posts on X and Reddit suggest a messy codebase was dumped, with chunks of infrastructure exposed that could open doors to more attacks. Some claim the leak included moderator credentials, internal staff emails, and even conversations in private IRC channels used by 4chan’s volunteer moderators (aka “janitors”).

There’s an unverified rumor that some moderator email addresses had .edu and .gov endings, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

Thankfully, 4chan’s payments go through Stripe, so financial data seems safe. But leaking IP addresses and moderator identities is another story. Cybersecurity researcher Neringa Macijauskaitė told Cybernews that such leaks could lead to doxxing, harassment, and targeted attacks, especially considering the site’s history and user base.

This Isn’t New for 4chan

4chan has dealt with hacks before. In 2014, someone used a SQL injection to grab moderator credentials. In 2012, the hacktivist group UGNazi hijacked the site’s DNS, redirecting traffic to their Twitter page. These incidents all point to the same issue: the site’s infrastructure is old and vulnerable.

The platform’s anonymous setup and lack of account registration have always made moderation tricky. Boards like /b/ are basically a free-for-all, which has attracted everything from memes to harassment campaigns. Its loose policies have also made it a magnet for extremist content and coordinated trolling—making a breach like this far more than a technical issue.

Reactions and Rumors

More than 1,200 people flagged the outage on Downdetector. Reactions on X were a mix of shock and sarcasm. “The end of an era,” one user posted. Another pointed out the irony of the hack possibly being retaliation from a group banned over trolling disputes on the /lgbt/ board.

Reddit users on r/4chan speculated wildly. Some made jokes about the site’s ancient setup—“Badly formatted – bring back Moot!”—while others expressed genuine concern about exposed data and what could come next.

The Soyjak.party side framed the hack as a wake-up call, arguing 4chan had ignored obvious maintenance issues. But with no official word from 4chan’s admin team, a lot of the story is still being pieced together from user reports, rival forums, and cybersecurity blogs.

What’s Next?

The site is still flickering in and out of service. There’s been no public statement from Hiroyuki Nishimura, who owns the site, or its moderation team. Based on previous breaches, they’ll likely patch the holes and move on—but the leaked code could linger as a threat. Priit Rebane and other security experts have warned that attackers might now reverse-engineer the backend to look for more ways in.

For users, the leak is a reminder of the tradeoffs that come with anonymity. While most posts don’t require accounts, the fact that IPs and moderator data can be tracked or exposed puts everyone closer to risk than they might think. Macijauskaitė said the fallout could even lead to coordinated harassment efforts—a serious concern given 4chan’s history.

A Site at a Crossroads

This breach may go down as one of the most serious in 4chan’s 20+ years online. A site that once helped shape internet culture through memes and movements is now dealing with a very real threat to its core structure and user trust. Whether this incident pushes 4chan to overhaul its aging system—or just patch and carry on—is anyone’s guess.

For now, the servers are quiet, the boards are scattered, and the internet is watching.