HackersOpens a new window have stolen the personal information of an estimated 2,500 users of the Discord VoIP network, which is used primarily by millions of video gamers across the globe.
Discord is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application that is free, versatile and multiplatform. It works on a range of different operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS and Linux. Any Discord user can create a server, or group, in less than 10 seconds.
The hackers obtained some users’ email addresses and passwords and claimed they employed a phishing site to obtain the details. They published a list of users and segregated it into those accounts the hackers knew to be active and those thought to be dormant or redundant.
Discord, which has yet to issue a statement on the hack, counts more than 130 million users globally. Most are gamers but others use its services as well.
Criticized for Hate Speech
The platform has been running for about four years, and an estimated 19 million people operate it daily. Peak concurrent users have topped eight million.
The platform, however, has introduced new security procedures, including two-factor authenticationOpens a new window , designed to make it more difficult for hackers to penetrate the network.
Discord has been at the center of controversy in the past, particular around the use of the platform to promote far-right ideology and hate speechOpens a new window . Its moderators have been criticized for allowing neo-Nazis and white supremacists to take over the platform to attack racial or religious groups.
The platform is used to send more than 500 million messages per day. It manages 750 verified servers, supporting popular games like Fortnite and Unreal Tournament. It has also announced strategic partnerships with Spotify and Xbox.
‘Hang Tight, Pet Your Cats’
Last month, Discord experienced a communications outage that was attributed to content issues associated with a partner, Cloudflare. The platform suffered a general outage and caused the management to respond with its now infamous “Hang tight, pet your cats†statement to users.
Cloudflare blamed the outage on a possible route leak that it said could be affecting its network. The issue was later described as “the day the Internet had a small heart attack.†Cloudflare said that Verizon assigned too many Internet routes via a small provider in Pennsylvania that was overloaded.
Discord users are being advised to use the available two-factor authentication security available to them to protect against future hacks. New Internet viruses have been released that contain features targeting Discord.
Key takeaways:
- Hackers have stolen the email addresses and personal information of some 2, 500 Discord account holders.
- Discord is a popular VoIP platform used primarily by gamers but also has other users in other fields.
- The flexible voice and messaging features are available via a range of operating systems, including iOS and the Spotify platform.
- Discord is advising users to activate a two-factor security authentication it has brought in to protect users against future attacks.