Introduction
New details are emerging about the individuals behind the leaked Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer, which was posted on Twitter in December 2023 with a Buy Bitcoin GTA 6 watermark.
Identity of the Leaker
On Thursday, pseudonymous internet sleuth ZachXBT unveiled new information regarding the possible identity of the leaker. The person allegedly obtained the official trailer from YouTube through unauthorized access and shared it on Twitter a day before its planned release, with a Bitcoin promotion overlaid.
The Role of Skenkir
“The GTA 6 trailer was leaked by a threat actor known as Skenkir,” ZachXBT tweeted this week. “He purchased access to a YouTube admin panel, allowing him to view the unlisted video early.”
Previous Activities of Skenkir
ZachXBT further revealed that Skenkir has been involved in over 40 high-profile SIM swap attacks, targeting individuals such as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, musician Steve Aoki, and crypto critic Peter Schiff. Alleged screenshots of online interactions from the leaker were shared prior to the trailer leak.
Immediate Impact
In December, an anonymous Twitter account named “Gta6trailerleak” posted the leaked trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6. Developer Rockstar Games had intended to release the first trailer the following day but was forced to release it early due to the modified, low-resolution leak.
YouTube’s Response
Following the leak, YouTube reportedly initiated an internal investigation to determine if the leak originated from the platform’s backend. Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming noted, “YouTube has investigated employees breaching their contractual agreements on two occasions in the past 18 months due to accessing content on the backend.”
Context and Background
If true, the GTA 6 trailer leak would add to a series of privacy and security issues at YouTube, including a Google employee leaking private videos on the Nintendo YouTube account. Game leaks are common; recent leaks occurred prior to the Sony PlayStation State of Play streaming event. Reports of unauthorized access to YouTube accounts date back to 2013, according to Dexerto.
Conclusion
Requests for comments from YouTube and Rockstar Games to Decrypt have not yet received responses. Further developments are anticipated as investigations continue.
