That Time YouTube Got Hacked

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On Christmas Day of 2009, the largest channels on YouTube were hit with a strange online prank. Several of their video thumbnails were replaced with random photos, ranging from musicians to snapshots of cartoon characters. Those responsible for the hack remain a mystery today, and how the hack was executed has yet to become conclusive.

What circumstances could have possibly caused such a strange incident to occur, and why has the story itself remained in hiding for over a decade?

Google +: just kidding.

Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod

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[nationsquid]

🔐 Protect yourself online with Guardio! Be there or be square!

[nillypc]

If YouTube gets hacked again, I'd want that hacker to reverse any bad decisions the company added to the site.

[cakesdown]

I just want to say that I really appreciate the extra effort you put in to ensure that readable and well made subtitles are on your videos. While I'm not deaf, I do have an audio processing disorder and I'm glad I can enjoy your videos properly :) really amazing video as always btw!

[KaneLivesInDeath]

YouTube got hacked and all the hackers did was randomize video thumbnails? Sounds like an April Fools' prank, lol

[humblebeningings]

I love how in the old days NationSquid's name was CountryOctopus

[wuffleroo]

Bro you have no idea how glad I am that you don't villify people on your channel. Like that's the thing I hate most about modern YouTube is how quickly people get caught up in the hate and shame train. It's just really refreshing to see someone just not do that. Thank you.

[Abyssn]

I want to say something, I am always super impressed how your videos seem to depict things as if from their era, and I don't know how you do it at all. Like so much footage in this was of the old YouTube layout, the videos, the numbers, stats, thumbnails, everything and I don't know if it's some extremely clever editing or something else I don't know about entirely.

[yeehaw-city]

It’s really funny to me to hear YouTube poops referred to as a strange or weird thing considering they’re still around and watched today

[LuigiGodzillaGirl]

I sadly don't have any memories of this event, but the names and imagery in this video still gave me a nostalgia rush for what I consider to be YouTube's golden age. As a dirt poor college kid at the time, I was an active member in the YouTube Poop community, happily watched various movies that users would upload in low image quality segments (and if I liked the movie well enough, I would seek out a legit physical copy).

[Tor-Erik]

Seeing that old YouTube layout (used to have a channel in 2007) takes me back. Back when YouTube shorts didn't exist, and money hungry ads and sponsorships didn't take over. Good times, good times.
And I remember that time. My old channel and YouTube Poop videos were affected, and it really freaked me out. Not knowing what was going on.

[borntoclimb]

This was a weird/interesting incident.
I miss the time on Youtube between 2005 and 2010.

[SSoto_]

I really like how you talk about things that aren't very well known or talked about very much. I feel like I'm learning something new every time I come to this channel. Props to you NationSquid!

[mateobonavento]

It makes me sad that I never got to experience old Youtube. The only place where I could access the internet back in those days was at my school's computer lab, and they had the site blocked. I could play flash games though so at least I had that.

[mattalden]

Hearing Fred again was like hearing nails on a chalkboard.

[McMaNGOS]

Definitely wasn't expecting to see a video covering this topic, let alone be mentioned in it, haha!

It definitely made a big stir at the time, and I recall specifically asking the person who was behind all this to change the thumbnails of some videos on my channel. Mostly as a way to validate that this was indeed the person behind the hack. Sure enough, moments later, they were changed, and I've kept them as they are to this day.

I remember testing a bunch of stuff out to see if I could figure out the exploit as well, in retrospect I think it must have been some form of authentication bypass specifically for the part of YouTube that handles partner thumbnail uploading. Essentially uploading a new thumbnail for one of your existing videos, but managing to provide the ID of another video somewhere in the process. If the hack would have provided full account access, I'm certain it would have resulted in far more than just thumbnails being changed. Never managed to figure it out, but it was still mindblowing to see something like that happening in real-time.

Thanks for preserving and documenting this niche internet event for future generations, really. Old YouTube was such a different experience, something that would be lost to time if it weren't for videos like this one.

[bacationsev]

I learned so much from your videos Nationsquid. Hope your doin well and fine.

[Zombie_Trooper]

Blast from the past, I still remember all this like it was yesterday. And since you mentioned full movies, that's exactly how I watched The Happening in early 2009 lol

[deniskincses]

Great video, love your content, and thumbnails! Hope this one doesn't change it somehow

[lain]

Your production value is always fantastic. Deserves way more views.

[hongqipiao]

You make the best content on the digital age. Don't stop.