iStockphoto
A recent post on a prominent hacking message board reportedly contained more than 201 million entries of data belonging to X (Twitter) users. A Safety Detectives’ cybersecurity team discovered the post and verified a sample of the leaked emails and data and determined that they were valid.
“The data was found in a forum post available on the clear surface web,” Safety Detectives wrote in a post addressing the hack. “This well-known forum operates message boards dedicated to database downloads, leaks, cracks, and more.”
They also stated that the author of the post on BreachForums, named ThinkingOne, claimed that in January of this year, 400 GB of data on more than 2.8 billion X users was leaked by the hackers. The author of the post also claimed that they only shared these over 200 million entries because there was “no sign that X or the general public is aware of the largest social media breach ever.” This, despite the alleged claim that the hackers “tried contacting X via several methods with no response.”
They say they cross-referenced the released data with that data was taken in another hack of 209 million X users in a 2023 breach. The records of X users that appeared in both datasets are what they claim were released in their post.
“We reviewed the information corresponding to 100 users in the list, and we found that it matched what was shown on Twitter,” Safety Detectives wrote. “We also verified a considerable amount of emails, which turned out to be valid email addresses, though we cannot confirm that the emails belong to the accounts listed.”
They cybersecurity firm now warns that the “leaked data presents a risk to the security and privacy of all users impacted by this breach.” Among those threats are phishing attacks, targeted scams, and social engineering attacks. If you believe that your data may have been leaked, they recommend being cautious of unsolicited emails, messages, or phone calls asking for personal information or payment details; reviewing and updating the privacy settings on your social media accounts and other online platforms; and to notify X of any fraudulent activity or suspicious communications.
This is far from the first time X (Twitter) user data has been stolen and leaked on the internet. In 2020, a 17-year-old was arrested for what was then referred to as the biggest security and privacy breach in Twitter’s history. Then, in 2021, hackers stole and later released millions of Twitter users’ private data on the internet.
Content shared from brobible.com.