- PBS confirms a data leak that affects almost 4,000 people
- Someone shared a Discord database, apparently to act “great”
- The abuse potential is there, so users must be careful
The iconic American television network PBS has been pirate and has lost valuable contact information about its employees and affiliates.
However, the attack does not seem to have been made by malice, but rather curiosity, and the desire to be “great.”
Recently, a database began to circulate on discord servers, supposedly that contains PBS corporate contact information. The database was not present in any dark web forums, data extortion sites or anything similar, but was shared in a “PBS KIDS” channel, where fans of PBS programs for children meet to chat.
“Rebel Curiosity”
Bleepingcomputer He investigated the database and confirmed that he contained information on almost 4,000 employees and PBS affiliates.
He arrived in the form of a JSON file, with each record containing an employee name, corporate email, title, time zone, department, location, work function, hobbies and the name of the supervisor.
PBS confirmed the authenticity of the escape, saying that young adults, adolescents and children share it “more for a sense of novelty, rebel curiosity or simply to gain a little notoriety within their peer groups.”
“It is less to exploit the data to obtain financial profits and more of the ‘great factor’ of possessing it,” said the company.
That does not mean that the files cannot be collected by real malicious actors and used for devastating phishing attacks.
PBS seems to be very aware of the abuse potential, and has communicated with affected people to warn them about possible attacks, scams and incoming fraud.
PBS, or public transmission service, is a non -profit public television network in the United States. It does not produce programs in itself, but distributes the content created by the member stations and independent producers.
One of its most famous programs is Sesame Street that, meanwhile, emigrated to HBO and Max.
