How My Discord Server Got Hacked: A Hard-Learned Lesson in Security

Author: Wally

Published on Sep 12, 2024

So, let me share the story of how my Discord server got hacked—yes, hacked—while I was just casually playing games, thinking all was well. It all started with my innocent (and a little lazy) decision to skip a critical security step. Here's how it all went down and what you can learn from my experience.


The Dream of a Custom Discord Bot

Like many developers, I wanted to build a custom Discord bot for my server. I was excited about coding it from scratch, testing new features, and seeing it in action. But here's the catch: Discord requires you to use HTTPS for secure testing and running bots. This means you need an SSL certificate, something I was too lazy to set up for my own computer. Self-assigning SSL certificates sounded like a hassle, and I figured, why go through all that when there’s an easier way?


That’s when I stumbled upon Replit, an online coding environment that had Python ready to go, complete with an SSL certificate. “Perfect!” I thought. I could run my bot in the cloud without the annoying SSL setup. Little did I know, I was making a critical mistake.


Replit: The "Free" Solution That Cost Me My Server

I created my Python bot on Replit, wrote the code, and—here’s the kicker—I included my Discord bot token in plain text. No encryption, no protection, just the raw token sitting there in the code. I ran it, tested it, and everything seemed to be working fine. I felt like a genius. Easy, right? Well, things were about to go downhill.



A few hours later, while gaming like it was any other day, I got a notification from my own Discord server. "That's weird," I thought. I opened the app to find total chaos. My bot had been hijacked. New random channels were being created, messages were being spammed, and my server was turning into a mess. Panic mode: activated.


Damage Control: A Little Too Late

I immediately terminated the bot and kicked it out of my own server. But by then, the damage had already been done. My server was in shambles, and I was left wondering: How did this happen so quickly? How could my own bot be turned against me?


Then it hit me: Replit. I dug deeper and found out something shocking—if you’re using Replit for free, your code is public by default. Anyone with the right URL can see your project, plain and simple. And that includes your sensitive data, like my Discord bot token. That’s right—some savvy person must have found my project, grabbed the token, and used it to wreak havoc.


The Ugly Truth About Free Replit Accounts

Turns out, Replit isn’t as private as I thought. Yes, it has a login system, and you can work on projects, but if you're using a free account, your code is open to the world. I had assumed my little project was secure because I was logged in and everything felt private, but nope. If I had known that I needed to pay for the “private repl” feature, I could have saved myself from this entire nightmare.


So here’s the takeaway: If you’re using Replit’s free tier, your projects are public. Always keep that in mind if you’re storing sensitive information like API tokens, keys, or passwords in your code. Anyone with access to your URL can view and steal your data.


What I Learned: Security First, Always

The biggest lesson here? Never store sensitive data in plain text—not in your local environment, and especially not in an online coding platform like Replit. If you’re working on something that involves sensitive information, invest the time and effort to set up the necessary security measures, like SSL certificates, encrypted environment variables, and private repositories.


Even if you’re just testing code for fun, be aware of where your data is stored and who can access it. Trust me, it’s worth the extra step.


What You Can Do to Avoid My Mistake

  1. Always use environment variables for sensitive data: Instead of hard-coding your API keys or tokens, store them securely in environment variables.
  2. Make your projects private: If you’re using a platform like Replit, pay for the private project feature if you need to store sensitive information.
  3. Read the fine print: Don’t assume your code is private just because you’re logged in. Check the platform’s settings and documentation to ensure your project is safe.
  4. Set up proper SSL certificates: Even though it seems like a hassle, it’s worth securing your local environment to avoid shortcuts that could leave you vulnerable.


In conclusion, my Discord server’s hacking incident was a hard lesson in the importance of security. What started as a fun bot-building project turned into a nightmare, all because I skipped a few critical security steps. Learn from my mistake—don’t leave your tokens or sensitive data exposed, especially on public platforms. Stay secure, stay smart, and keep building.

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