Bluesky Blocks Links to Leaked DHS Employee Data Website

Bluesky has started blocking links to a nonprofit website hosting leaked data about U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees, raising questions about online content moderation, government transparency, and the handling of sensitive information.

The links, which point to DDoSecrets, a nonprofit transparency collective known for publishing leaked datasets in the public interest, were reportedly labeled “malicious” on Bluesky. The restrictions appeared shortly after TechCrunch and other media outlets reported that hackers had accessed data from the department.

The incident comes as U.S. authorities seek to limit the spread of the exposed information and pursue takedown requests against websites hosting the dataset.

Hacker Exposes More Than 40,000 DHS Records

According to a report published by TechCrunch on Wednesday, a hacker obtained more than 40,000 user account records from the Homeland Security login system.

The information reportedly includes names and professional contact details, such as work-issued phone numbers and email addresses, belonging to employees and agents across multiple agencies. These include U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The exposed information was described as similar to the details typically found on an employee’s business card.

DDoSecrets subsequently made the dataset publicly available. Researchers investigating alleged abuses by the Trump administration say the information could help them pursue government records through public records laws.

A Homeland Security spokesperson told TechCrunch on Wednesday that the department was “aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively.”

The department has not publicly provided further details in the statements cited in the report.

Bluesky Restricts Access to DDoSecrets Links

Bluesky users began reporting that links to the DDoSecrets website were being flagged as malicious. Rather than removing the posts containing the links, the social network reportedly chose to block access through those links.

Bluesky did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment outside U.S. West Coast business hours. However, a spokesperson for the platform told Wired that the exposed information violated its community guidelines.

The decision has drawn attention to the distinction between removing posts and preventing users from opening links shared within them.

DDoSecrets co-founder and journalist Emma Best argued that the dataset contains professional contact information rather than the types of personal details prohibited by the organization’s sharing rules on Bluesky.

Best acknowledged that the platform’s terms of service restrict sharing home addresses and personal contact information, but said neither category appeared in the leaked dataset.

“The data contains professional contact information for government employees at a time when the public interest in that exact information has never been higher,” Best told TechCrunch.

Best also argued that the information could support transparency efforts because members of the public may need professional contact details when submitting requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Homeland Security Seeks Website Takedowns

The response to the leak has extended beyond social media. Best told TechCrunch that a website hosting a searchable version of the dataset had been taken offline after action by its domain registrar.

A search tool created by journalist maia arson crimew stopped loading by Thursday morning. Internet records associated with the domain showed a “serverHold” status, which generally indicates that a registrar has restricted a domain.

According to a takedown notice reviewed by TechCrunch, Homeland Security used security company ZeroFox to request the removal of the website. ZeroFox has authorization to act on the department’s behalf in seeking online data removals through 2028.

The notice asked the domain registrar to “stop serving the personal contact and location data of individuals who did not consent to its publication.”

CentralNic, the company hosting the domain name, did not respond to TechCrunch’s questions about the takedown or whether it had acted in response to a government request. ZeroFox also did not respond to a request for comment.

A Homeland Security spokesperson did not answer a follow-up question about the notice affecting Icepick’s website.

A Local Copy Could Keep the Dataset Accessible

Despite the removal of the searchable website, crimew also created a locally hosted version of the dataset. This version allows people to access the information on their own computers rather than relying on the affected website.

The development highlights the challenges authorities face when trying to remove leaked information from the internet. Even when a domain is taken offline or a social network restricts links, copies of a dataset may remain available elsewhere.

The incident also underscores the competing concerns surrounding leaked government information: protecting individuals’ privacy, responding to potential security breaches, and preserving access to information that researchers say may serve a public interest.

As Homeland Security pursues takedowns and platforms enforce their content rules, the handling of the leaked records is likely to remain a point of debate over online moderation and government transparency.

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