The children’s television network Nickelodeon has responded to viral claims that a trove of its private data was leaked online by hackers.
In posts on Twitter, one user who claimed to have knowledge of the alleged breach shared screenshots of files that had purportedly been taken from the channel’s animation department. Although the user claimed that more than 500 GB of data had been leaked, a download link for the information contained just around a dozen gigabytes worth of files.
Those files, some of which were viewed by the Daily Dot, included data such as pilot episodes for some of the network’s older cartoons. As reported by HACKREAD, Nickelodeon responded by pouring cold water on many of the claims.
“We are aware of social media posts that alleged production-related files were made available without authorization and we are investigating,” a spokesperson told the Daily Dot. “The alleged leaked content appears related to production files only, not long-form content or employee or user data, and some of it appears to be decades old.”
Since then, Nickelodeon has reportedly been issuing DMCA takedown notices to users on Twitter who have shared data from the breach.
“I currently was just hit by two DMCA Takedowns,” theuser who shared the alleged data wrote.
Nickelodeon has declined to comment on the takedown notices. At least one animator, according to Recorded Future News, asked on Twitter for anyone sharing information on one such leaked project to delete the content immediately.
The actual breach is said to have taken place back in early January, according to the malware analysts at vx-underground, after an authentication issue allowed access to Nickelodeon’s consumer products and experience portal.
