How classified docs quickly spread from gamer chat rooms to the rest of the internet

One of the worst national security leaks in U.S. history began with classified documents on Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues spreading across fringe social media sites and messaging rooms for gamers…

The breach, and reported manipulation of at least one of the images, is raising concerns about how information is being circulated online.  

Steven Ward, a resident privacy and security follow for R Street’s Cybersecurity and Emerging Threats team, said the leaking of classified intelligence documents is concerning but “we should be cautious of the leaked documents’ authenticity.”

“In the last few years, dark underground communities like 4chan and Telegram have garnered more attention, expanding their reach and making them a viable option for distributing information to a larger audience,” Ward said in an email…