Almost Six Gigabytes of Source Code Leaks From Intel

Intel Corporation is the biggest multi-national tech company in the world based on revenue. It was founded by Robert Noyce, Gordon Moore, and Andrew Grove in 1968 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. The company makes most of the microchips we use daily on our personal computers. In early October 2022, a piece of source code was released onto 4Chan and GitHub, resulting in almost six gigs of data finding its way into hostile hands.

How Did the Attack Occur?

Intel has not yet released how the attack occurred or who is responsible for the data leak. However, 4Chan is a chat forum known for malicious and cruel content. The users have previously hacked into systems and given the information back to the other users on the forum. This happens more often than one would like to admit or imagine with these so-called free-speech platforms and has resulted in targeted individuals' stalking, harassment, and even suicide.

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?

The data contained change logs, source code, private keys, and compilation tools. There was no personal or user information revealed in the leak. Users seem safe for now, but we don't know the hacker's plan; if there even was a hacker. Before this leak, Japanese car manufacturer Toyota admitted to a similar incident, in which there was no hack and simply an oversight on the site builder's end.

How Did Intel Admit to the Breach?

Intel admitted to the breach by contacting the media. A week after the code leaked, various news sources, including Security Boulevard and Hacker News, posted articles on the subject. "This code is covered under our bug bounty program within the Project Circuit Breaker campaign, and we encourage any researchers who may identify potential vulnerabilities to bring them our attention through this program. We are reaching out to both customers and the security research community to keep them informed of this situation," said an Intel spokesperson.

What Will Become of the Stolen Information?

This manner of data breach opens an entirely new door for the hacker. While they didn't access any user information, they accessed ways to reach it. Certain parts of the leaked code included a part of the update programming for Intel. Now, the hacker can use that to create malicious software and disguise it as an update, affecting tens of millions of customers.

What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?

In the aftermath of the breach, you can take a few steps to ensure your Intel device's safety. First, keep an eye out for suspicious update notifications that seem slightly off. Watch your emails and make sure no Intel-related scams are coming through your email. Check around to ensure you're supposed to receive an update when you receive one and download software to scan your device for malware and ransomware. Do everything you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.