- Hackers claim to be selling 860GB of internal Target source code and documentation
- Sample repositories reference payment, identity, and gift card systems
- Target quickly took repositories offline and restricted internal Git access
- The authenticity of the breach remains unconfirmed, but risks are substantial
Claims have surfaced in underground cybercrime circles that internal source code belonging to US retail giant Target has been stolen and is now being offered for sale. While the company has not yet publicly confirmed the breach, the speed and scale of its response suggest the situation is being treated with urgency.
According to the claims, a previously unknown threat actor is attempting to sell what they describe as an enormous archive of proprietary Target data, totaling roughly 860 gigabytes.
The seller framed this as only the first batch in a series of releases, hinting at the possibility of additional data being put up for sale in the future. Such statements are common in extortion driven breaches, but the supporting material shared by the attacker has raised serious concerns among security researchers.
What the Stolen Data Allegedly Contains
To bolster credibility, the individual behind the claims uploaded sample materials to multiple repositories hosted on a self managed Git platform. These samples were limited in size but extensive enough to provide insight into what the full dataset may include.
Repository names and directory structures pointed to internal systems that play a central role in Target’s digital operations. These reportedly include wallet and payment related services, identity and access management tools, gift card infrastructure, store networking software, configuration files, and internal documentation intended for developers and engineers.
Each repository included a file labeled SALE.MD, outlining what buyers would allegedly receive if they purchased the full archive.
The listings were exhaustive, with tens of thousands of files and directories enumerated across an index that stretched beyond 57,000 lines. The combined size of the advertised data was listed at approximately 860GB, a figure that aligns with the seller’s headline claim.
More troubling were references found inside the sample data itself. Commit histories and documentation appeared to mention internal development servers, private URLs associated with company collaboration tools, and even the names of current senior and lead engineers.
If authentic, this would suggest the data originated from real internal environments rather than being fabricated or recycled from older leaks.
Target’s Rapid Response Raises Questions
Shortly after cybersecurity journalists alerted Target to the existence of the repositories, the situation changed rapidly. The Git repositories hosting the sample data were taken offline, and access to an internal Git server that had previously been reachable from the internet was restricted.
This swift action has fueled speculation about the seriousness of the incident. While companies sometimes act quickly even when claims are exaggerated, locking down internal infrastructure often indicates at least a perceived risk that sensitive systems or data may have been exposed.
Additional reporting indicated that search engines had previously indexed and cached some content from the internal Git server.
This raises the possibility that certain repositories were, at some point, publicly accessible due to misconfiguration rather than a sophisticated intrusion. However, it remains unclear how long this exposure may have lasted or whether it accounts for the full scope of the data allegedly being sold.
Authenticity Still Unconfirmed but Risks Are Real
At the time of writing, there is no independent confirmation that the full 860GB dataset exists or that it was obtained through an external cyberattack. Target has not issued a formal statement addressing the claims, leaving key questions unanswered.
Even so, the potential implications are significant. Exposure of source code and internal documentation can provide attackers with a roadmap to critical systems, making future attacks easier and more damaging. It can also undermine customer trust, especially when systems tied to payments, digital wallets, or gift cards are involved.
Whether this incident proves to be the result of a misconfigured server, a compromised developer account, or a more traditional breach, it underscores a familiar lesson. Internal development tools and repositories are high value targets and must be secured with the same rigor as production systems.
For now, the cybersecurity community is watching closely. If further proof emerges or if the data appears on other platforms, pressure will mount for a clear and detailed response. Until then, the claims remain unverified, but the warning signs are difficult to ignore.
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