PBS has confirmed a data breach after a file containing corporate contact information of nearly 4,000 employees and affiliates surfaced on Discord servers, where it continues to circulate.
The breach came to light when BleepingComputer was alerted earlier this month to a file being shared in Discord communities dedicated to “PBS Kids,” a space typically populated by young adults, teenagers, and even children discussing nostalgic shows.
Unlike typical data leaks that appear on the dark web or cybercrime forums, this one emerged in fan communities. According to sources, the motive appears to be novelty rather than financial gain.
“The young adults, teenagers, and kids sharing it seem to be doing it more out of a sense of novelty, rebellious curiosity, or simply to gain a bit of notoriety within their peer groups,” BleepingComputer was told.
“It’s less about exploiting the data for financial gain and more about the ‘cool factor’ of possessing it. That being said, the potential for misuse is obviously there.”
What the Leaked Data Contains
The stolen file, in JSON format, contains records for 3,997 PBS employees and affiliates, including:
- Names and corporate email addresses
- Job titles and departments
- Time zones and locations
- Job functions and hobbies
- Supervisors’ names
After verifying the file, BleepingComputer contacted PBS, which confirmed that the information was taken from MyPBS.org, an internal service for public television employees.
“After being notified that a file containing user data from MyPBS.org, an internal service for public television employees, was posted online, we launched a thorough investigation of the incident, which is ongoing,” a PBS spokesperson said.
“We have reached out to the users whose information was identified as involved to inform them of this incident and at this time, there is no evidence that this incident involves any other PBS systems.”
Data Still Circulating Among Discord Communities
While there is no indication that the leaked information has been used for malicious purposes, the data continues to circulate in Discord groups. The source who provided the file to BleepingComputer expressed concern that this incident could draw unwanted scrutiny to communities meant for casual fan discussions.
So far, PBS has not disclosed how the data was accessed or whether additional security measures are being implemented to prevent future breaches.
