Social networking platform Bluesky has begun blocking user access to links directed at a dataset containing leaked personnel records for thousands of U.S. Department of Homeland Security employees, following a security breach and subsequent federal government takedown requests.
The restriction targets links pointing to the transparency collective Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets), which hosted the leaked records. According to platform reports, links to the dataset were designated as “malicious” on the platform shortly after news of the breach surfaced on Oct. 28, 2026.
The underlying breach involved a hacker accessing over 40,000 user account records from Homeland Security’s central login system. The compromised information includes names, professional email addresses, and work-issued phone numbers for personnel across multiple federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The exposed details correspond to information typically found on standard business cards.
A spokesperson for Bluesky told Wired that the exposed dataset violates the platform’s community rules, prompting the decision to restrict the URLs rather than remove individual user posts containing the links. Bluesky did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment.
Representatives from DDoSecrets disputed the platform’s rationale for the restriction. DDoSecrets co-founder and journalist Emma Best stated that while Bluesky’s terms of service prohibit sharing home addresses and personal contact details, the leaked dataset contains only professional contact information. Best noted that government agency guidelines require members of the public to provide official employee contact details when filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, making professional contact information critical for public transparency and government record requests.
Parallel actions have taken down public access to the raw dataset elsewhere online. A website hosting a searchable version of the stolen records was taken offline after its domain registrar applied a “serverHold” status, which locks the domain from resolving on the public internet. The domain action followed a takedown notice issued on behalf of Homeland Security by ZeroFox, a cybersecurity vendor authorized to handle administrative takedown requests for the department.
In response to inquiries regarding the initial breach, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that the agency is aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation. Research groups analyzing federal operations noted that the dataset, despite the takedowns, remains significant for investigators seeking public records and administrative accountability regarding federal agency actions.
Sources
– TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/29/bluesky-blocks-links-to-leaked-dhs-employee-data-as-government-seeks-takedowns/
Source: TechCrunch
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Story synopsis gathered from: TechCrunch — source
