DeviantArt and The Pokémon Company: Multiple Pokémon Apps Taken Offline Over PHP Cyber Attack Fears

Critical PHP Vulnerabilities Force Global Website Shutdowns

Two severe vulnerabilities in PHP, the widely used programming language powering an estimated 70% of the internet, have prompted governments and major organizations to take websites and applications offline. The flaws, affecting PHP versions as far back as 2004, allow attackers to execute remote code on vulnerable servers, enabling malware deployment and unauthorized system control.

In response, high-profile platforms like DeviantArt, Ars Technica, and The Pokémon Company have temporarily disabled services, including Pokémon HOME, Pokémon Champions, and Pokémon Sleep, displaying maintenance messages without estimated restoration times. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has advised organizations unable to apply patches immediately to take systems offline to prevent exploitation.

While fixes have been released, the complexity of updating third-party software and layered dependencies leaves millions of sites exposed until full mitigation is completed. The incident underscores the widespread risk posed by unpatched PHP-based infrastructure.

Source: https://kotaku.com/pokemon-home-sleep-champions-offline-php-cyber-attack-2000748338

DeviantArt TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/deviantart

The Pokémon Company TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/pokemon

"id": "pokdev1792599910",
"linkid": "pokemon, deviantart",
"type": "Vulnerability",
"date": "10/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Digital Art/Entertainment',
                        'name': 'DeviantArt',
                        'type': 'Online Art Community'},
                       {'industry': 'Media/Technology',
                        'name': 'Ars Technica',
                        'type': 'Technology News Website'},
                       {'industry': 'Gaming/Entertainment',
                        'name': 'The Pokémon Company',
                        'type': 'Entertainment/Gaming'},
                       {'industry': 'Cybersecurity/Government',
                        'location': 'United Kingdom',
                        'name': 'UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)',
                        'type': 'Government Agency'}],
 'attack_vector': 'Remote Code Execution',
 'customer_advisories': 'Maintenance messages displayed on affected platforms '
                        '(e.g., Pokémon HOME, Pokémon Champions, Pokémon '
                        'Sleep).',
 'description': 'Two severe vulnerabilities in PHP, the widely used '
                'programming language powering an estimated 70% of the '
                'internet, have prompted governments and major organizations '
                'to take websites and applications offline. The flaws, '
                'affecting PHP versions as far back as 2004, allow attackers '
                'to execute remote code on vulnerable servers, enabling '
                'malware deployment and unauthorized system control.',
 'impact': {'downtime': 'Temporary shutdowns (duration unspecified)',
            'operational_impact': 'Service disruptions for high-profile '
                                  'platforms',
            'systems_affected': 'Websites and applications powered by '
                                'vulnerable PHP versions'},
 'lessons_learned': 'The incident underscores the widespread risk posed by '
                    'unpatched PHP-based infrastructure and the complexity of '
                    'updating third-party software with layered dependencies.',
 'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': 'Apply released fixes, take '
                                                  'systems offline if patches '
                                                  'cannot be applied '
                                                  'immediately.',
                            'root_causes': 'Unpatched PHP vulnerabilities '
                                           '(affecting versions since 2004), '
                                           'complexity of updating third-party '
                                           'software dependencies.'},
 'recommendations': 'Apply patches immediately; if unable to patch, take '
                    'systems offline to prevent exploitation.',
 'references': [{'source': 'Incident Description'}],
 'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Displaying maintenance messages, '
                                        'issuing advisories',
              'containment_measures': 'Taking vulnerable systems offline, '
                                      'applying patches',
              'remediation_measures': 'Releasing fixes for PHP '
                                      'vulnerabilities'},
 'stakeholder_advisories': 'UK NCSC advised organizations to take systems '
                           'offline if patches cannot be applied immediately.',
 'title': 'Critical PHP Vulnerabilities Force Global Website Shutdowns',
 'type': 'Vulnerability Exploitation',
 'vulnerability_exploited': 'Critical PHP vulnerabilities (affecting versions '
                            'since 2004)'}