A group of hacktivists has leaked over a terabyte of data from Disney’s internal communications platform over the company’s stance on AI imagery.
The group called NullBulge released the data from Disney’s Slack channels yesterday through a peer-to-peer network. It says it is motivated to “protect artists’ rights and ensure fair compensation for their work”.
That is different from a hacker’s usual modus operandi who often demand ransoms. NullBulge leaked the dossier of photos, converstations, and unreleased projects quite quickly saying that making demands from Disney would be futile.
“Here is one I never thought I would get this quickly,” the group’s anonymous spokesperson says. “Disney. Yes, that Disney. The attack has only just started, but we have some good sh**.”
The group apparently gained access to the data via “a man with Slack access who had cookies.” Before adding that it is based out of Russia.
“Disney was our target due to how it handles artist contracts, its approach to AI, and its pretty blatant disregard for the consumer,” NullBulge tells CNN via email.
“If we said ‘Hello Disney, we have all your Slack data’ they would instantly lock down and try to take us out. In a duel, you better fire first.”
However, a cybersecurity expert tells The Guardian that claims of defending artists’ rights could be a “a well thought-out smokescreen to mask the true identities and real motives of the hackers”.
“Hacktivists are highly unlikely to run operations of such scale to protect intellectual property and the rights of artists,” says ImmuniWeb chief executive Ilia Kolochenko.
Nevertheless, NullBulge’s latest hack is consistent with its attack on a plugin for AI image generator Stable Diffusion last month. The hackers updated the plugin so it included malware which was used to steal login credentials and extend their footprint.
NullBulge says it breached Disney’s Slack via a developer who had installed a video game mod that the group had compromised.
On the group’s website, under the heading: “You Hacked Me! Why?” It says, “We believe AI-generated artwork harms the creative industry and should be discouraged.”
It also condones “crypto promotion” and “any theft from Patreons, other supportive artist platforms, or artists in general.”
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.