A new data commercialization case is highlighting the dangers of public information on social networks. HawkSec, a cyber group, claims to have a Discord dataset that includes 78,541,207 files, which include messages, voice sessions, actions, and server information.
The collection appears to come from an abandoned OSINT/CSINT project. HawkSec promoted the dataset on the Discord server, titled “Hello Hawks Community,” announcing its availability for purchase through designated channels.
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What does the collection include?
The files contain mostly public interactions from Discord servers, such as user messages, server metadata, voice data, and ME (Multi-Environment) files. HawkSec has asked interested parties to submit requests for sample data, without publicly announcing prices.
Similar data sales have happened before: in 2025, a set of 348 million messages from nearly 1,000 public servers appeared, while researchers have also made larger sets public, such as Discord Unveiled, which contains over 2 billion messages from more than 3,000 servers.
The current collection of 78 million files suggests extensive analysis of public servers, with an average of 1,200 members per server.
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Risks and privacy
While there is no evidence of a breach of private data, public records pose serious risks when combined with other sources of information. The data can be leveraged for harassment, doxxing, or targeted phishing, even without access to private channels.
Discord has been heavily criticized in the past for similar practices, especially regarding tools like Spy.pet, which sold billions of messages from public servers. In contrast, legitimate academic collections emphasize anonymization and compliance with Discord's APIs.
Server visibility remains a key risk factor. Users participating in public servers, especially popular gaming communities , face greater exposure, as demonstrated in 2025 with the leak of 2 billion messages, which sparked extensive discussions about privacy.
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Reactions and safety tips
As of January 12, 2026, there has been no public response from Discord to HawkSec's claim. Cybersecurity experts recommend that server administrators review visibility settings, restrict access to sensitive information, and monitor for potential malicious uses of data.
The commercialization of public data
The HawkSec case highlights the ongoing threat of data commercialization in gaming and social media communities. Even public information can be exploited for malicious purposes, highlighting the need for stronger privacy and stricter oversight of data collection tools.
As platforms like Discord become increasingly central to communication and entertainment, users and administrators are urged to realize that public activity can become vulnerable information, putting the privacy and security of their communities at risk.
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