Open-Source Platform Codeberg Targeted by Far-Right Harassment Campaign
Codeberg, a Berlin-based open-source code repository, has fallen victim to a coordinated campaign of abuse and harassment attributed to far-right groups. The attack, which occurred on February 12th, specifically targeted projects promoting tolerance and equal rights.
The perpetrators exploited Codeberg’s automated systems to send spam and abusive messages to users through the site’s notification feature. By taking advantage of the platform’s ability to notify up to 100 users simultaneously, the attackers managed to distribute a significant number of emails containing offensive content before Codeberg could intervene.
In response to the incident, Codeberg swiftly blocked the offending accounts and disabled the functionality used in the attack. However, the site experienced brief downtime as a result of the assault. The organization has assured its users that no private data was leaked during the incident, as the emails were generated through Codeberg’s servers without direct access to user email addresses.
Codeberg, a nonprofit organization supporting free and open-source software projects, currently hosts over 150,000 users and 200,000 projects. The platform operates with a community that values free culture, openness, and creativity.
In a statement, Codeberg acknowledged that its capacity to handle abuse was overwhelmed by the scale of the attack. The organization is now working on implementing improved protection measures against similar abuse vectors and is actively responding to users affected by the campaign.
Despite this setback, Codeberg remains committed to its mission of supporting open-source software. The organization emphasized the threat that far-right forces pose to the free software ecosystem and stressed the importance of protecting marginalized groups and the broader community.
As Codeberg works to strengthen its defenses, it has reaffirmed its stance against far-right ideologies and their global rise. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by open-source platforms in maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all users.
