Compliance Management, Network Security, Privacy

Mouse trap: Hacking group tampers with musician deadmau5’s SoundCloud account

Deejay and house music producer deadmau5 had to face the music this week when the mischievous hacking group OurMine accessed his personal SoundCloud account and uploaded outside content.

SoundCloud is a Germany-based global online audio distribution platform used by musicians and listeners like According to dance music media site Your EDM, after hackers broke into deadmau5's SoundCloud account, they added a fake song containing funny lyrics referencing the hack. A separate report from Billboard stated that the hackers uploaded leaked songs from artist Selena Gomez. deadmau5's own tracks reportedly remain intact.

Via its Twitter account, OurMine contacted deadmau5, nee Joel Zimmerman, asking him to direct message them for details on the hack. Judging from deadmau5's own tweets, the exchange became increasingly confrontational, as the hackers appear to have threatened to dox the musician's personal information, post nude pictures of him and use his credit card. The hackers also reportedly sent sex toys to a house registered under deadmau5's birth name, according to a third report from Mic.

SoundCloud has so far not answered a request for comment on the incident.

Bradley Barth

As director of community content at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for SC Media online conferences and events, as well as video/multimedia projects. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.

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