Furry Art Platform Fur Affinity Was Taken Over by Hackers: "Do Not Interact With the Website"

It seems that internet hacking is all too common these days, from the government's official Social Security database all the way to independently run websites like Fur Affinity. The site is a furry-focused platform for art, literature, and more and is typically used for artists to show off their work and take commissions from fellow furries. The website has been around since 2005 and has steadily grown into a somewhat mainstream art platform.

Now, though, the page that used to foster community and celebrate creativity has turned into a source of digital danger after being subjected to a major hack. Fur Affinity's official team has warned users not to interact with the website for the time being, and fans are anxiously awaiting updates.

What happened?

Users first noticed signs of the hack around 12:48 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2024, when the website's domain seemed to go offline. Per screenshots shared by X user Hakopla1, who has chronicled the events of the hack on their social media page, the official Fur Affinity X account put out a statement to their users confirming concerns: "The reason Fur Affinity went offline around 12:48 a.m. is due to someone hijacking our account."

Then, on their Discord server, the original owners of the platform warned users not to attempt to connect to the website: "It appears that someone is trying to redirect our domain to a site that is not associated with Fur Affinity. This could lead to a phishing page that mimics our website in appearance. Please avoid visiting our URL or interacting with the website until we provide further updates."

Throughout the night, a back-and-forth seemed to ensue between the original owners and the hackers, during which each party retained control of the domain for a short period of time.

The hackers also seemed to access Fur Affinity's official X page, posting hateful anti-furry sentiments, calling them "disgusting freaks," and accusing the website's owner of being a pedophile. Now, though, Fur Affinity's X account is currently down.

As of this writing, the Fur Affinity website is still temporarily offline. When trying to access the site, users will be met with a message saying, "Fur Affinity will return shortly! For more information, please check the official Discord server. We will be posting updates as they become available."

Just a few weeks before Fur Affinity was hacked, the site mourned the death of its founder and owner, Sean Piche, commonly known as Dragoneer. The company announced the news on its website on Aug. 6, 2024.

Apparently, Dragoneer had been struggling with health issues, particularly lung-related, and was having difficulty obtaining the healthcare he needed. In one of his posts on X, he shared a photo of an Aug. 1 doctor visit with an expected out-of-pocket payment of over $25,000, captioned, ‘Excuse me while I go throw myself in front of a train.’”

It’s unclear whether his passing was related to a lack of medical care or worsening conditions.