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WikiLeaks

Company type	Non-profit organization
Industry	Whistleblowing, investigative journalism
Founded	2006 (2006)
Founder	Julian Assange
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Leaked classified and confidential documents
Website	wikileaks.org

Alleged Somali Assassination Directive

In December 2006, WikiLeaks released its inaugural document, purportedly an assassination directive aimed at government officials and signed by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys. According to The New Yorker, Julian Assange and his team were unsure about the document’s legitimacy but utilized the platform’s collaborative tools to scrutinize it. They published the file accompanied by commentary debating whether it represented a militant declaration or a disinformation effort by US intelligence. The authenticity of this document was never conclusively established, and media interest soon shifted away from the leak itself.

Corruption within Daniel arap Moi’s Family

On 31 August 2007, The Guardian featured a prominent exposé regarding corruption involving the family of former Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi. This report was based on findings from a Kroll Inc. investigation, commissioned by the Kenyan government and disseminated through WikiLeaks. The revelation played a significant role in influencing Kenya’s subsequent election, which was overshadowed by violent unrest resulting in more than 1,300 fatalities and 350,000 displaced individuals. Julian Assange emphasized the leak’s contribution to raising public consciousness, asserting the Kenyan population’s entitlement to such information amid ongoing economic hardships and health crises linked to corruption.

Camp Delta Standard Operating Procedures

On 7 November 2007, WikiLeaks published a copy of the Standard Operating Procedures for Camp Delta, the official U.S. Army guidelines for operations at Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The document, dated 28 March 2003 and issued under Geoffrey D. Miller’s command as head of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, outlined psychological tactics used on detainees, including deployment of military dogs and management of hunger strikes. It disclosed restrictions placed on prisoners, notably identifying certain detainees as off-limits to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), contradicting earlier U.S. military assertions.

Miller categorized four levels of ICRC prisoner access: No Access; Visual Access (inspection only); Restricted Access (limited health inquiries); and Unrestricted Access. The manual also described procedures for transferring detainees and methods to circumvent Geneva Convention requirements. Department of Defense representatives declined to comment on this disclosure.

The Associated Press quoted Army Lieutenant Colonel Ed Bush, who described the manual as outdated, noting that dogs are no longer employed and that the Red Cross currently has unrestricted access to detainees. On 3 December 2007, WikiLeaks released the 2004 version of the manual along with an analysis highlighting modifications made since 2003.

Julius Baer Bank Litigation

In February 2008, Swiss financial institution Julius Baer initiated legal action against WikiLeaks and its domain registrar Dynadot in a California court, securing a permanent injunction that temporarily took wikileaks.org offline. The lawsuit concerned allegations of illicit activities at Julius Baer’s Cayman Islands branch that had been published on WikiLeaks. Dynadot complied by removing DNS records; however, the website remained accessible via its IP address and was rapidly mirrored across multiple servers worldwide.

On 29 February 2008, Judge Jeffrey White overturned the injunction due to First Amendment protections and jurisdictional issues. This ruling enabled WikiLeaks to reinstate its website, and Julius Baer subsequently withdrew the lawsuit on 5 March 2008. Additionally, the court denied the bank’s request to prevent further disclosures.

BNP membership list

On 18 November 2008, WikiLeaks disclosed the membership roster of the British National Party (BNP), unveiling details such as names, addresses, ages, and professions of around 13,500 individuals. Among those listed were police officers, lawyers, clergy members, medical practitioners, and educators. In the UK, police personnel are forbidden from affiliating with or endorsing the BNP; at least one officer lost their position due to association with the party. Prior to this exposure, the BNP had implemented significant efforts to keep its membership confidential. The party leader, Nick Griffin, attributed the leak to a former senior "hardliner" staff member who departed in 2007. A later disclosure on 20 October 2009 presented an updated list comprising 11,811 members.

Killings by the Kenyan police

Beginning on 1 November 2008, WikiLeaks brought attention to accounts of extrajudicial killings carried out by Kenyan law enforcement, highlighting the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) publication The Cry of Blood – Report on Extra-Judicial Killings and Disappearances. Two principal human rights researchers involved in producing this report, Oscar Kamau Kingara and John Paul Oulu, were murdered on 5 March 2009. WikiLeaks appealed for information concerning their assassinations. In acknowledgment of its role in disseminating the KNCHR report, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange were honored with an Amnesty International UK media award in 2009.

Northern Rock Bank

In 2007, Northern Rock encountered a financial emergency that necessitated an urgent loan from the Bank of England. During this crisis, a court injunction prohibited media outlets from publishing Northern Rock’s sales prospectus. WikiLeaks made this prospectus and related legal notices issued by Schillings available online despite these restrictions.

Sarah Palin's Yahoo! email account contents

Amid the 2008 US presidential campaign, emails from Sarah Palin’s personal Yahoo! account were published on WikiLeaks following a hack by members of Anonymous. Wired reported that Palin utilized this private account for official communications, potentially breaching public records regulations. The hacking incident attracted widespread media attention.

Initially, WikiLeaks protected the identity of the hacker; however, it was later revealed to be David Kernell, an economics student at the University of Tennessee and son of Democratic State Representative Mike Kernell. Kernell attempted to conceal his identity using the anonymous proxy service ctunnel.com, whose administrator collaborated with the FBI to trace the intrusion.

Scientology

On 24 March 2008, WikiLeaks released what it described as the "compiled secret 'bibles' of Scientology". On 7 April 2008, they received correspondence from the Religious Technology Center asserting ownership over documents related to OT Levels within the Church of Scientology, which had been at the center of a controversy in 1994. The letter demanded:

Additionally, it sought access to uploader logs in an effort to compromise anonymity. WikiLeaks responded publicly through Wikinews, declaring: "in reaction to this suppression attempt, WikiLeaks will publish several thousand more pages of Scientology material next week," a promise they fulfilled shortly thereafter.

Tibetan opposition within China

On 24 March 2008, WikiLeaks made public 35 unedited videos showing civil disturbances in Tibet, aiming to circumvent Chinese censorship during a period of heightened unrest.

2008 Peru oil controversy

On 28 January 2009, WikiLeaks disclosed 86 intercepted phone conversations involving Peruvian officials and business figures linked to the "Petrogate" scandal.

Congressional Research Service documents

On 7 February 2009, WikiLeaks released a collection of 6,780 reports from the Congressional Research Service. This disclosure was referenced in the second superseding indictment against Julian Assange, which claimed that in 2009 Assange promoted hacking activities to access confidential Congressional materials by exploiting a flaw in the US Congress document system.

WikiLeaks private donor data leak

In February 2009, WikiLeaks accidentally exposed an email containing confidential information about its donors. The email was provided by a whistleblower who criticized WikiLeaks for not using blind carbon copy when sending communications to donors. WikiLeaks suggested this leak might have been a test of its neutrality toward whistleblowers. Jay Lim from WikiLeaks explained that the donor list exposure resulted from an administrative mistake unrelated to protecting sources.

NATO’s Afghanistan Master Narrative

In February, WikiLeaks decrypted and published NATO’s Master Narrative concerning Afghanistan, along with three additional classified or restricted NATO documents obtained from the Pentagon Central Command (CENTCOM) website.

Donors to Coleman’s campaign

In March 2009, WikiLeaks revealed a list identifying contributors to the Norm Coleman Senate campaign.

Barclays Bank tax evasion schemes

Also in March 2009, documents outlining Barclays Bank’s intricate tax avoidance strategies were published on WikiLeaks. These files were later removed from The Guardian website. The Guardian noted that due to limited capacities, tax authorities (HMRC) increasingly depend on platforms like WikiLeaks to obtain such data.

Internet censorship blacklists

WikiLeaks has released lists of prohibited or illegal websites from multiple countries.

On 19 March 2009, WikiLeaks published what was claimed to be the blacklist maintained by the Australian Communications and Media Authority under Australia’s proposed Internet censorship regulations. Media and political responses varied; although the 2008 Australian Labor Party initiative intended to block sites related to child pornography and terrorism, the leaked blacklist contained numerous unrelated websites. When challenged, Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, denied the list’s accuracy and threatened legal action against those distributing it. On 20 March 2009, WikiLeaks released an updated version dated 18 March 2009 that more closely matched ACMA’s actual blacklist size and included two independently verified blocked pages.

WikiLeaks also disclosed details regarding Internet censorship in Thailand, including lists of censored websites dating back to May 2006.

Furthermore, WikiLeaks published blacklisted website lists from Denmark.

Reports on Bilderberg Group meetings

Beginning in May 2009, WikiLeaks republished documents related to multiple Bilderberg Group gatherings, encompassing the organization's background and meeting summaries from the years 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, and 1980.

Iranian nuclear incident

On 16 July 2009, Iranian media outlets announced the unexpected resignation of Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, who had led Iran's atomic energy agency for twelve years. Shortly thereafter, WikiLeaks revealed details of a "serious nuclear accident" that occurred at the Iranian Natanz nuclear site in 2009. The Federation of American Scientists observed a reduction in functioning enriched centrifuges from approximately 4,700 to 3,900 coinciding with the event.

News sources have indicated that the incident was caused by a cyberattack targeting Iran's nuclear program through the use of the Stuxnet computer worm.

The Minton report on toxic waste dumping in Africa

In September 2006, the commodities firm Trafigura commissioned an internal investigation into a toxic waste disposal incident in Ivory Coast, which the United Nations reported as impacting around 108,000 individuals. The Minton Report identified chemicals "likely present" during the event and described possible health consequences such as burns, vomiting, diarrhea, unconsciousness, and fatalities. It concluded that the large number of casualties aligned with a substantial release of hydrogen sulphide gas.

On 11 September 2009, Trafigura's legal representatives from Carter-Ruck obtained a confidential "super-injunction" against The Guardian, preventing the report's publication. Trafigura also issued warnings to other media outlets including the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and The Chemical Engineer. Despite these efforts, WikiLeaks published the report on 14 September 2009.

On 12 October, Carter-Ruck cautioned The Guardian against referencing a parliamentary inquiry concerning the report. In response, the newspaper emphasized limitations on free expression under the Bill of Rights 1689. Details that had been suppressed circulated online and via Twitter. After public criticism, Carter-Ruck revised the injunction to permit The Guardian to disclose both the parliamentary question and the existence of the injunction. The injunction was completely lifted on 16 October.

Kaupthing Bank disclosures

Shortly before Iceland’s banking system collapsed amid the 2008–2012 financial crisis, WikiLeaks published an internal document from Kaupthing Bank. This document exposed substantial loans extended to bank owners along with significant debt write-offs. Kaupthing’s legal team threatened to take action against WikiLeaks citing banking confidentiality regulations. The leak generated considerable controversy within Iceland. Ongoing criminal probes are examining multibillion-euro loans to Exista and other principal shareholders. Additionally, the bank is seeking repayment of loans granted to former employees prior to its failure.

Joint Services Protocol 440 leak

In October 2009, a confidential 2,400-page document titled Joint Services Protocol 440 from the British Ministry of Defence was leaked. Originally drafted in 2001, it detailed security protocols designed to prevent information breaches by hackers, journalists, and foreign intelligence agents.

Climategate emails

In November 2009, a collection of emails and documents from the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) was made public, reportedly obtained through unauthorized access. WikiLeaks hosted a widely circulated 120 MB archive containing these files. This event sparked intense debate concerning the openness and reliability of climate data.

9/11 pager messages

On 25 November 2009, WikiLeaks published approximately 570,000 pager messages intercepted on the day of the September 11 attacks. Chelsea Manning identified the source as an NSA database. The communications included exchanges between officials at the Pentagon and the New York City Police Department, offering detailed perspectives on emergency operations during the attacks.

U.S. Intelligence report on WikiLeaks

On 15 March 2010, WikiLeaks disclosed a confidential 32-page Counterintelligence Analysis Report from March 2008, produced by the U.S. Department of Defense. The document examined major leaks impacting U.S. national security and proposed measures to undermine WikiLeaks' influence. Julian Assange, WikiLeaks' editor, criticized the report for containing errors and unrealistic recommendations, describing its concerns as speculative.

The analysis recommended deterrents against whistleblowers such as dismissal and legal action, citing leaks related to U.S. military expenditures, human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay, and combat operations in Fallujah as motivating factors.

Baghdad airstrike video

On 5 April 2010, WikiLeaks released classified U.S. military footage depicting a helicopter attack in Baghdad on 12 July 2007 that resulted in the deaths of between 12 and 18 individuals, including two Reuters journalists, Saeed Chmagh and Namir Noor-Eldeen. The video, titled Collateral Murder, revealed the aircrew firing on civilians while making light of the casualties. After striking two children inside a van that had arrived to assist the wounded, one pilot comments, "Well, it’s their fault for bringing their kids into a battle." An unnamed U.S. military source verified the video's authenticity, igniting worldwide discussion about the attack's ethical and legal implications.

Some accounts suggested that armed individuals accompanied the Reuters journalists, with pilots possibly mistaking camera gear for weapons. A military inquiry discovered two rocket-propelled grenade launchers and one AK-47 among those killed.

Afghan War Diary

On 25 July 2010, WikiLeaks made public over 92,000 documents covering the Afghanistan conflict from 2004 to 2009, sharing them with The Guardian, The New York Times, and Der Spiegel. These files revealed details such as incidents of friendly fire and civilian casualties. Julian Assange compared the magnitude of this disclosure to that of the Pentagon Papers. A few days later, on 29 July, WikiLeaks uploaded a 1.4 GB "insurance file" to the Afghan War Diary page as a precautionary measure in case any harm came to Assange or the organization.

About 15,000 documents have yet to be published as WikiLeaks continues to review them for sensitive information requiring redaction. Assange confirmed intentions to release these remaining files and noted that WikiLeaks sought assistance from the Pentagon and human rights organizations for the redaction process but received no cooperation. He stressed that WikiLeaks does not feel obligated to protect sources unless they face unjust retaliation.

Reports indicated that the Obama administration encouraged allied nations such as Britain, Germany, and Australia to consider criminal charges against Assange related to the leaks and to limit his international travel. In the United States, a joint investigation by the Army and FBI is exploring potential prosecution of Assange and others for facilitating theft of government property.

The Australia Defence Association (ADA) accused Assange of possibly committing serious crimes by assisting adversaries of the Australian Defence Force. The ADA’s executive director condemned WikiLeaks for lacking both legal authority and ethical responsibility in publishing materials that might jeopardize military personnel and operations.

Criticism from outlets like The Wall Street Journal highlighted concerns that the leaks put Afghan informants named in the documents at risk of Taliban reprisals against them and their families. In response, Assange stated that approximately 15,000 documents containing informant identities were withheld to protect those individuals, with each document carefully examined "line by line" to remove names of vulnerable persons.

Several media analysts interpreted the release as a deliberate effort targeting the U.S. military. Prior to making the documents public, WikiLeaks reportedly contacted the White House seeking identification of at-risk individuals but did not receive any reply.

Love Parade documents

After the Love Parade stampede in Duisburg, Germany on 24 July 2010, an internal city government blog called Xtranews published confidential administrative records related to the event’s planning and official responses. On 16 August, the city authorities obtained a court injunction requiring Xtranews to take down these documents. Nevertheless, after copies appeared on other websites, officials chose not to pursue further legal measures. Subsequently, on 20 August, WikiLeaks released a collection of 43 internal files titled Loveparade 2010 Duisburg planning documents, 2007–2010 pertaining to the festival.

Iraq War logs

In October 2010, WikiLeaks announced plans to disclose up to 400,000 classified records connected to the Iraq War. Julian Assange initially refrained from specifying exact release dates and emphasized limited communication regarding forthcoming leaks. On 21 October, The Guardian revealed it had received nearly 400,000 Iraq war documents from WikiLeaks. The following day, Al Jazeera was first among media outlets to publish detailed analyses of these materials under the title The War Logs. Subsequently, WikiLeaks removed embargo restrictions on all news organizations for this release, leading to extensive global coverage.

The Pentagon described this disclosure as "the largest leak of classified documents in its history." Media reports largely concentrated on allegations that U.S. authorities ignored documented instances of torture carried out by Iraqi forces after the 2003 conflict.

Release of State Department diplomatic cables

On 22 November 2010, Wikileaks announced an upcoming publication that would be "seven times larger than the Iraq War Logs." U.S. officials and media outlets speculated that the material consisted of diplomatic cables. Prior to the disclosure, the UK government issued a DA-Notice urging newspapers to notify them before publishing, though adherence was not mandatory. Editors generally sought guidance from the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee before proceeding with publication. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that American newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post intended to release portions of the cables on 28 November, including 94 documents related to Pakistan.

Guantanamo Bay detainee files

On 24 April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing 779 documents from the US Department of Defense concerning detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

The Spy Files

WikiLeaks unveiled the Spy Files on 1 December 2011, a compilation featuring brochures, manuals, catalogs, and videos sourced from over 160 intelligence contractors, including Hacking Team. These materials advertised covert surveillance technologies designed for computers and smartphones. The files also exposed a trade event known as the Wiretappers’ Ball, where hundreds of vendors marketed “lawful intercept” solutions to thousands of international clients.

2012

On 22 February 2012, WikiLeaks distributed its second insurance file via BitTorrent. This encrypted archive, titled "wikileaks-insurance-20120222.tar.bz2.aes," was approximately 65 GB in size.

The Global Intelligence Files

On 27 February 2012, WikiLeaks released "The Global Intelligence Files," consisting of over five million emails from Stratfor, spanning July 2004 through December 2011. This disclosure shed light on how the private intelligence company operated and targeted individuals on behalf of corporate and governmental clients. Some emails contained malicious software.

Syria Files

On 5 July 2012, WikiLeaks published the Syria Files, comprising more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, government ministries, and affiliated companies, covering the period from August 2006 to March 2012.

Public Library of US Diplomacy (PlusD)

In April 2013, WikiLeaks launched a searchable database containing 1.7 million U.S. diplomatic and intelligence documents, including the Kissinger cables. Julian Assange emphasized that these records illustrated the vast extent of U.S. influence globally. Originally declassified in 2006 and transferred to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, these cables attracted renewed interest when Assange made them accessible online while under Ecuadorian asylum. Among notable revelations was a 1976 cable detailing Australian opposition leader Gough Whitlam discussing Iraqi attempts to finance the ALP. The archive also disclosed that future Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke served as a key informant for the U.S. during the 1970s.

Spy Files 3

On 4 September 2013, WikiLeaks released Spy Files #3, which included 249 documents from 92 intelligence contractors worldwide. The files exposed exports of spyware technologies to numerous countries, including authoritarian regimes.

Draft Intellectual Property Chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

On 13 November 2013, WikiLeaks disclosed a preliminary version of the Intellectual Property chapter from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. This leaked draft suggested more stringent digital copyright regulations and imposed restrictions on freedom of expression, leading to criticism that it resembled a "Christmas wish-list for major corporations." Specialists in intellectual property observed that sectors like Hollywood, music, information technology, and pharmaceuticals stood to gain significantly from the agreement.

Draft of the Trade in Services Agreement Chapter

In June 2014, WikiLeaks revealed a confidential draft of the Financial Services Annex within the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), a global trade pact involving 50 nations and encompassing 68% of the worldwide services market. Alongside the release, WikiLeaks presented an analysis emphasizing concerns regarding the agreement’s secretive negotiation procedures.

Suppression Order in Australian Bribery Investigation

On 29 July 2014, WikiLeaks published a confidential gagging order issued by the Supreme Court of Victoria, which prohibited Australian media outlets from reporting on a multimillion-dollar bribery probe implicating the country’s central bank and various international officials. The order identified individuals from Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia and aimed to "avoid harm to Australia's diplomatic relations" while protecting the reputations of persons not formally accused.

The disclosure triggered public backlash. Dinah PoKempner, General Counsel at Human Rights Watch, urged governmental transparency and requested judicial reconsideration of the suppression order. Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also criticized the gag order, calling for an open and transparent inquiry.

Investment Chapter of the TPP

On 25 March 2015, WikiLeaks published the "Investment Chapter" from confidential Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, one of the most debated components of the agreement. Before this leak, TPP details were kept under wraps to facilitate ongoing discussions. Critics and advocates for transparency argued that such secrecy enabled governments to advance unpopular policies without public scrutiny.

Sony Archives Release

On 16 April 2015, WikiLeaks made available a searchable archive of documents known as the Sony Archives, originally acquired in November 2014 by the hacker collective "Guardians of Peace." The leak contained over 30,000 files and approximately 173,000 emails from Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), a U.S.-based subsidiary of Sony Corporation responsible for film and television production and distribution.

Trident Nuclear Weapons System Security Breach

Royal Navy Able Seaman William McNeilly revealed critical security vulnerabilities within the United Kingdom’s nuclear weapons program. His detailed 18-page report highlighted issues such as unchecked security passes and potential infiltration risks. While the Navy denied these claims, it launched an investigation. After initially evading authorities, McNeilly ultimately surrendered.

The Saudi Cables Leak

In June 2015, WikiLeaks published more than 60,000 confidential documents from the Saudi Arabian government. Reports suggested that these were obtained by the hacker group Yemen Cyber Army, believed by experts to be linked to Iran. Early cables from 2013 indicated a possible vote-trading agreement between Saudi Arabia and David Cameron’s British government aimed at mutual election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for 2014–2016. Both nations secured UNHRC membership in 2013 amid concerns over human rights practices.

While Saudi Arabia did not dispute the authenticity of these documents, it cautioned its citizens against sharing potentially fabricated files. The release drew criticism for including an unredacted “info dump” containing sensitive medical records related to rape survivors, mental health patients, as well as personal financial and identification data—including passport information belonging to Hillary Clinton. Some documents also revealed individuals’ sexual orientation. WikiLeaks dismissed media critiques as “recycled news” lacking newsworthiness.

NSA Surveillance

On 23 June 2015, WikiLeaks published a series of documents entitled "Espionnage Élysée," which disclosed that the NSA had conducted surveillance on the French government, including Presidents Francois Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Jacques Chirac. Further NSA files released on 29 June 2015 revealed economic espionage activities targeting French corporations and organizations. In July 2015, WikiLeaks unveiled that the NSA had been intercepting communications from numerous German federal ministries, including those of Chancellor Angela Merkel, dating back to the 1990s.

On 4 July 2015, additional WikiLeaks documents exposed NSA monitoring directed at 29 telephone numbers linked to the Brazilian government, encompassing then-President Dilma Rousseff, her staff, the presidential aircraft, and other senior officials.

By 31 July 2015, confidential intercepts published by WikiLeaks revealed NSA spying operations against the Japanese government, involving Cabinet members as well as major corporations such as Mitsubishi and Mitsui. These documents highlighted extensive surveillance of diplomatic exchanges between the U.S. and Japan, alongside insights into Japan's policies on climate change and economic matters.

Emails of John Brennan

On 21 October 2015, WikiLeaks released a collection of emails belonging to John O. Brennan, which included a draft version of his security clearance application containing sensitive personal data.

Leak of DNC Emails

On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks published nearly 20,000 emails along with over 8,000 attachments from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the administrative body of the U.S. Democratic Party. The disclosure triggered accusations that the DNC had shown favoritism toward Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders, contradicting the committee’s declared impartiality. Several staff members were recorded criticizing Sanders openly and discussing strategies to promote Clinton’s nomination. Subsequent leaks unveiled contentious agreements between the DNC and Clinton’s campaign regarding financial terms and control over policy decisions and staffing prior to the primaries. These revelations resulted in the resignation of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz ahead of the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Later, the Mueller investigation charged twelve Russian intelligence operatives for hacking and disseminating these emails.

Podesta Email Release

Starting on 7 October 2016, WikiLeaks began publishing emails from John Podesta, chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016. The disclosures provided insight into internal campaign strategies and included twenty-five highlighted excerpts along with an eighty-page compilation of Clinton’s paid speeches delivered to Wall Street firms. The leaks also revealed that Donna Brazile, CNN contributor and then interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, shared debate questions with Clinton’s team, which led to her departure from CNN in October 2016.

One batch contained Podesta’s iCloud password; his account was reportedly compromised along with a brief takeover of his Twitter profile. Some emails dated back to correspondence between Podesta and Barack Obama from 2008.

According to The New York Times, President Vladimir Putin denied any Russian involvement in the hacking incidents—a stance supported by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Nonetheless, in July 2018, the Mueller investigation indicted twelve Russian intelligence officers for their role in breaching and leaking these emails.

Yemen files

On 25 November 2016, WikiLeaks disclosed emails and internal records revealing details of United States military operations in Yemen spanning from 2009 until March 2015. Julian Assange emphasized the US's role in the Yemen conflict, noting that it resulted in 3.15 million internally displaced individuals. Despite the US providing the majority of munitions and playing a significant role, coverage in English-language media remained sparse.

PlusD

On 28 November 2016, WikiLeaks made public more than half a million diplomatic cables from the United States Department of State dating back to 1979 during Jimmy Carter's presidency, focused on the Iran hostage crisis. These documents had been previously released by the National Archives and Records Administration.

German BND-NSA Inquiry

WikiLeaks published 2,420 documents on 1 December 2016, purportedly originating from the German Parliamentary Committee investigating the NSA spying scandal. Initially thought to be linked to a 2015 cyberattack on the Bundestag, German authorities later concluded that the source of the leak was likely internal.

Turkish AK Party emails

Following Turkey’s government purges after the failed coup attempt, WikiLeaks released 294,548 emails from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on 19 July 2016. According to WikiLeaks, these files were obtained a week prior to the coup attempt and were unrelated to either coup plotters or opposition parties. After announcing this release, WikiLeaks experienced continuous cyberattacks lasting over a day. In response, Turkey’s government blocked nationwide access to the WikiLeaks website.

The leak is widely attributed to hacker Phineas Fisher, who reportedly asked WikiLeaks to postpone publication to maintain ongoing access to AKP systems. After the leak was published, AKP shut down its internal network, severing Fisher’s connection. Fisher later criticized WikiLeaks for dismissing the emails as “all spam and crap.”

WikiLeaks also issued misleading tweets about the contents of the leak and linked to a database containing sensitive details like Turkish Identification Numbers for roughly 50 million citizens—information not included in WikiLeaks’ files but stored elsewhere and subsequently removed due to privacy concerns.

The publication faced backlash for exposing personal data and including links to malware. Although WikiLeaks removed approximately 300 publicly identified malicious files initially, it did not perform a thorough malware analysis; a cybersecurity expert later discovered over 33,000 additional harmful files.

CIA espionage orders

On 16 February 2017, WikiLeaks released what appeared to be CIA espionage directives (marked NOFORN) aimed at the 2012 French presidential election. These instructions targeted information about party financing, internal conflicts, and anticipated policies toward the United States. The Associated Press characterized these as routine intelligence-gathering activities.

Vault 7

In March 2017, WikiLeaks published more than 8,000 classified CIA documents under the codename Vault 7, covering years from 2013 through 2016. The leaks exposed CIA tools capable of infiltrating vehicles, smart televisions, web browsers—including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Opera—and operating systems such as iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. In July 2022, Joshua Schulte, a former CIA engineer, was convicted for leaking this material to WikiLeaks.

2017 Macron email leak

On 5 May 2017, WikiLeaks shared links to emails allegedly linked to Emmanuel Macron's presidential campaign during France's 2017 election. These documents initially surfaced on the 4chan forum and were circulated by pro-Trump Twitter accounts before WikiLeaks disseminated them, although the organization did not claim to have created the content. Analysts observed that WikiLeaks rapidly expanded the exposure of these leaks using the hashtag #MacronLeaks. Macron’s team asserted that fabricated documents were intermixed with authentic ones, aiming to damage En Marche! ahead of the election’s second round. The French Electoral Commission described the incident as a "large-scale and coordinated hacking operation."

The Commission called on media outlets to report responsibly in order to safeguard voter rights and uphold electoral integrity. Early assessments by cybersecurity specialists pointed toward groups linked to Russia, but the Kremlin rejected any involvement. Subsequently, France’s cyber-defense agency ANSSI found no proof connecting Russia to the breach, suggesting that the attack was straightforward enough for an individual from any nation to execute.

Spy Files Russia

In September 2017, WikiLeaks unveiled "Spy Files Russia," exposing how Saint Petersburg-based firm Peter-Service supported government agencies in collecting extensive data on Russian mobile users through the national surveillance system known as System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM). Wired commented that most of the information was already publicly accessible, marking this release as less characteristic of WikiLeaks’ usual radical disclosures. Russian digital surveillance specialist Andrei Soldatov described it as a modest revelation, providing some understanding of data exchanges between telecommunications providers and intelligence services. Moscow journalist Fred Weir emphasized its focus on Russia’s broad security monitoring efforts. Ben Buchanan from the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center confirmed SORM’s existence but noted that these documents added further technical specifics. Some observers speculated that this release might have been approved by Russian authorities to divert attention from accusations of WikiLeaks’ collaboration during the 2016 US election. James Andrew Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies characterized the disclosures as “tactics” Russia was willing to reveal.

Vault 8

On 9 November 2017, WikiLeaks commenced publishing Vault 8, described as "source code and analyses related to CIA software projects" within the Vault7 series. The intention was to assist journalists, forensic analysts, and the public in gaining insight into covert CIA operations. The sole Vault 8 release comprised source code and development documentation for Hive, a secret communication platform utilized by CIA malware. In July 2022, Joshua Schulte was found guilty of leaking this material to WikiLeaks.

ICE Patrol

On 22 June 2018, WikiLeaks released personal information about numerous employees of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), gathered from LinkedIn profiles. The publication aimed to promote transparency amidst contentious ICE practices such as family separations at the U.S. border. The dataset contained publicly accessible details including profile images, educational histories, employment records, and geographic locations. According to reports from the Washington Post, WikiLeaks replicated a database originally compiled by New York-based artist and programmer Sam Lavigne.

Allegations of Corruption Involving a Broker in the France-UAE Arms Transaction

On 28 September 2018, WikiLeaks disclosed details regarding a dispute over commissions tied to a 1993 arms agreement between the French state-owned entity Nexter Systems (previously GIAT Industries) and the United Arab Emirates. This contract covered the supply of 46 armored vehicles, 388 Leclerc tanks, training tanks, spare parts, and ammunition. Broker Abbas Ibrahim Yousef Al Yousef asserted that he was shortchanged by $40 million from the $235 million initially agreed upon. Nexter suspended payments, accusing Yousef's firm, Kenoza Consulting and Management—registered in the British Virgin Islands—of engaging in corrupt practices by employing German engines banned for arms exports to the Middle East. Yousef maintained that he had obtained exemptions through influential lobbying efforts in France and Germany. However, his assertions were dismissed after it emerged that his commission would have been smaller if compensated via a retainer.

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

In November 2019, WikiLeaks published an email from an OPCW investigator involved in the inquiry into the 2018 Douma chemical attack, alleging that the OPCW concealed inconsistencies. Journalist Robert Fisk reported that documents indicated OPCW disregarded or suppressed dissenting personnel who questioned the final report's conclusions. Fernando Arias, head of OPCW, rejected the leak as "subjective opinions," reaffirming the validity of their original findings.

Earlier, in April 2018, WikiLeaks offered a $100,000 reward for confidential information identifying those responsible for the Douma incident. During a BBC interview in November 2020, WikiLeaks’ purported source declined to confirm receipt of any payment.

In April 2021, an undercover operation revealed emails suggesting a pro-Assad conspiracy aimed at undermining OPCW investigations involving Russian diplomats, WikiLeaks, and Julian Assange’s attorney Melinda Taylor. Reports linked WikiLeaks with Paul McKeigue and Taylor, who provided legal counsel on strategies intended to challenge OPCW conclusions through lawfare.

Intolerance Network

In 2021, WikiLeaks released a searchable archive containing 17,000 documents from right-wing organizations HazteOir and CitizenGo. According to WikiLeaks, these files had briefly surfaced online in 2017 but were subsequently removed following legal challenges.

Unreleased Content

• In October 2009, Assange claimed possession of approximately "5GB from Bank of America" sourced from an executive’s hard drive. By November 2010, he announced plans for a "megaleak" involving a major U.S. bank, likening it to the Enron email scandal and describing it as exposing "the ecosystem of corruption." Following this announcement, Bank of America’s stock dropped by 3%. Nonetheless, Assange later stated that the data was outdated and its significance unclear. WikiLeaks confirmed this material was among files destroyed by former spokesperson Daniel Domscheit-Berg in August 2011. In 2012, Forbes published unreleased marketing materials verifying these were Bank of America files intended for release in January 2011.

• In 2010, Assange revealed that WikiLeaks held four months’ worth of telephone call recordings from Iceland’s Parliament. Daniel Domscheit-Berg also declared possession of roughly 37,000 internal emails from Germany’s far-right National Democratic Party (NPD), which were likewise destroyed in 2011.

• In May 2010, WikiLeaks indicated it had video evidence purportedly depicting a U.S. military massacre of Afghan civilians; this footage was possibly among materials destroyed by Domscheit-Berg.

• In July 2010, Assange disclosed that WikiLeaks possessed documents related to an Albanian oil well explosion and internal files from BP but lacked sufficient volunteer journalists to verify and publish all disclosures.

• In September 2010, WikiLeaks claimed ownership of a first-edition copy of Operation Dark Heart, a U.S. Army intelligence memoir censored and destroyed by the Department of Defense.

• Towards the end of 2010, Assange suggested that WikiLeaks held materials concerning various governments and corporations including Russia; Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta accessed some WikiLeaks content to investigate corruption.

• In December 2010, Assange’s legal counsel described WikiLeaks as holding a "thermo-nuclear device"—critical information reserved for defensive purposes.

• In January 2011, Rudolf Elmer provided Assange with CDs listing approximately 2,000 clients of Swiss bank Julius Baer suspected of tax evasion.

• By February 2011, Daniel Domscheit-Berg acknowledged retaining unpublished WikiLeaks submissions and source code pending security enhancements; however, he destroyed all such documents in August 2011. These included files such as the U.S. government’s No Fly List, Bank of America data sets, NPD emails, videos depicting alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan, information on neo-Nazi groups, and details about U.S. internet surveillance programs.

• The Daily Dot reported that WikiLeaks' Syria Files did not include records related to a €2 billion transaction between Syria and a Russian state-owned bank.

• In March 2013, Assange confirmed possession of classified documents from Chelsea Manning concerning alleged abuses by Iraq’s government under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

• In June 2013, BuzzFeed News published documents exposing Ecuador’s use of domestic surveillance tools; however, WikiLeaks denied having received these materials.

• In 2015, confidential documents sent to WikiLeaks revealed Ecuador's surveillance operations targeting journalists and political adversaries; leaked chat logs demonstrated Assange’s awareness though these documents remained unpublished.

• The Panama Papers whistleblower indicated they contacted WikiLeaks in 2016 but did not receive any response concerning those documents.

• According to Foreign Policy reports during mid-2016, WikiLeaks obtained leaks including a 68GB data set from Russia's Interior Ministry but declined certain submissions due to verification concerns; WikiLeaks refuted claims that it rejected leaks based on their country of origin.

• In August 2016, WikiLeaks announced possession of an unaltered copy of The Shadow Brokers archive with intentions for future publication.

• On 4 October 2016, Assange pledged to release one million documents related to the U.S. election along with materials concerning three governments covering topics such as war crimes, arms deals, Google activities, mass surveillance programs, oil interests, and more before year-end.

• During October 2016, WikiLeaks tweeted cryptic code hinting at an imminent "insurance file" leak; insiders noted plans for publishing damaging information about Ecuador which ultimately did not materialize.

See also

• List of public disclosures of classified information
• List of government surveillance projects
• List of material published by Distributed Denial of Secrets