Online UC Irvine Forum Hacked With Gory Mutilation Videos

IRVINE, CA — A hacking group recently attacked online forums used by UC Irvine students, teachers and alumni, posting gruesome videos portraying human and animal mutilation that caused such traumatic responses in some viewers that some went to hospitals, it was reported Tuesday.

"Some things I've seen I definitely cannot unsee," Alina Kim, a coordinator for UC Irvine's student-run online community, told The Orange County Register. "Some individuals were reportedly hospitalized with vomiting, panic attacks, traumatic responses. This is something that has real psychological effects."

According to The Register, about 3,000 users were exposed to the images during the attack that began the morning of Jan. 9.

The attack targeted the Discord online messaging and communication platform, which is not managed by the university.

Kim told the paper the hackers have been identified, but they were not being named because the attack appeared to be an effort to garner publicity. She said the hackers demanded a $1,000 ransom, an amount so low it was believed to be a joke.

But Kim told The Register she contacted federal authorities because of the gory nature of the videos that were posted on the online forum. Campus police were also investigating.

A university spokesman told the paper UCI is offering mental health counseling for people who were impacted by the graphic content.

Kim said some of the Discord groups had to be taken offline, and while some were restored, many important communications were lost. She said many students rely on the sites for their coursework.

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