Twitch reportedly falls victim to a massive data leak
Twitch, the streaming platform favoured by gamers, has reportedly suffered a data leak which has revealed the earnings of the site’s top content creators.
The hacker leaked 125GB of data on the dark web with details about Twitch’s underlying code, encrypted user passwords and creator payout reports amongst the information released.
While Twitch, which has 30m daily users, is yet to confirm that the data is accurate some of the site’s top streamers told the BBC that the information posted about their earnings was correct.
After posting a torrent link on 4chan the attacker said the information was leaked to “foster more disruption and competition in the online video streaming space” because “their community is a disgusting toxic cesspool.”
It comes as Twitch faces pressure from users to clamp down on the behaviour of its online community.
In recent months Twitch has been criticised by users for not doing enough to prevent “hate raids,” which involves the organised harassment of streamers from minority backgrounds.
In September Twitch creators held a strike to protest against the platform’s inaction over the issue.
Jake Moore, a Cybersecurity Specialist at ESET, said that the leak is “damaging” for Twitch’s reputation and urged users to change their passwords quickly.
Moore said that Twitch is “a highly sought after target, carrying huge kudos amongst the criminal hacking community” and warned that a successful data leak “could be extremely damaging to its reputation” and finances.
Read more: Bezos accused of ‘wilful blindness’ over use of unlicensed music on Twitch