The Spanish-language hit, which has been viewed over 5 billion times, first had its video’s title changed by cyberattackers, before it completely vanished from the Google-owned platform, according to The Hacker News.
The massively popular clip’s title was also reportedly changed as was its thumbnail image.
The hack seems to be part of a bigger breach affecting several Vevo YouTube channels, including those belonging to Drake, Taylor Swift, Adele Chris Brown, Shakira, and Maroon 5.
A hacker using the online moniker of Kuroi’SH claimed responsibility for the breach in a series of tweets, revealing that he also hacked rapper Post Malone, and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.
The Hacker News✔@TheHackersNews
NEW:
Vevo’s @YouTube account hacked; attacker just changed the title and thumbnail of #Despacito Song, the most-viewed YouTube video with over 5 billion views.
Kuroi’SH is the same hacker who hacked @nowthisnews and @bbcarabicalerts Twitter accounts last week. pic.twitter.com/gKeLoJGUVm
The Hacker News✔@TheHackersNews
No No
Hey @LuisFonsi @daddy_yankee, a hacker just deleted your Despacito song from YouTube. pic.twitter.com/0YPzizRGVc
Kuroi’SH@sh_kuroi#hacked Adele @Adele https://www.youtube.com/user/AdeleVEVO
AdeleVEVO
youtube.com
Kuroi’SH@sh_kuroiI’ll do one challenge with you guys. If we didn’t hit 40,000 followers this day I’ll take down @NASAHubble @NASA and @jakepaul @LoganPaul
Kuroi’SH also tweeted that he would hack NASA, Jake Paul and Logan Paul “if we didn’t hit 40,000 followers this day”.
We’ve reached out to Vevo and YouTube, and will update this article with their respective responses.
Most of the affected music videos have had their titles changed to include “hacked by Kuroi’Sh & Prosox”.
They have also added the caption “Free Palestine” to some clips.
The hacker Kuroi’SH is also believed to have been behind a breach of Google Brazil last year, which saw the site defaced for more than 30 minutes.
That account’s bio claims Kuroi’SH is an “official owner” of Poodle Corp, a notorious hacking group thought to have been behind the 2016 cyberattack on mobile game Pokémon Go.
Last month, the group’s founding member, 20-year-old Zachary Buchta, was sentenced to three months in prison for his role in hacking thousands of company websites around the world and harassing unsuspecting people.