AI hacktivists target Disney in massive data leak

Over a terabyte of data supposedly obtained from Disney’s internal messaging channels has been leaked online by a self-proclaimed “hacktivist group,” including login credentials, code, images, and information about unreleased projects.

The anonymous group calling itself Nullbulge has claimed responsibility for the leak, alleging to have gained access to the company’s Slack messaging data via the compromised computer of a Disney employee. “Anything we could get our hands on, we downloaded and packaged up,” the group said on X, claiming to have obtained “1.1TiB of files and chat messages” from almost 10,000 corporate Disney Slack channels. Disney has since confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that it’s “investigating this matter.”

Nullbulge alluded to possessing the stolen data on July 12th, hours prior to leaking Disney’s Slack archive.

The WSJ reports the files contain internal Disney conversations about software development, recruitment, website maintenance, and employee programs dating back to “at least 2019.” According to Eurogamer, details regarding upcoming gaming collaborations and unannounced video game sequels obtained via leaked files have also started emerging online.

Nullbulge says its goal is to protect artists’ rights and compensation, telling The WSJ it had targeted Disney “due to how it handles artist contracts, its approach to AI, and its pretty blatant disregard for the consumer.” 

The perceived threat that generative AI poses to the livelihoods of creative professionals was one of the more notable concerns that motivated unionization efforts for Disney animators, and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Disney has also been criticized for using generative AI to produce the credits on its Secret Invasion Disney Plus series, and has reportedly created a task force to examine how AI can be applied across its entertainment portfolio.