Pornhub Hacked: User Data Extorted by Hacking Group

Pornhub Targeted by Hackers Following Mixpanel Data Breach

The hacking collective known as Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, incorporating members from the ShinyHunters group, has announced an attempt to extort Pornhub. This action follows claims of successful data theft involving personal details of the website’s premium members.

Mixpanel Breach Confirmed

Pornhub acknowledged on Friday that it was impacted by a prior security incident at Mixpanel, a widely utilized web and mobile analytics provider. The breach exposed certain “analytics events” linked to some Pornhub Premium users.

Details of Stolen Data

Reports surfaced on Monday, as detailed by Bleeping Computer, showcasing a sample of the compromised Pornhub data. This included personally identifiable information associated with Pornhub Premium accounts.

• Registered email addresses
• User location
• Activity type (videos and channels viewed, including names and URLs)
• Associated video keywords
• Date and time of activity

Lack of Official Response

Despite inquiries from TechCrunch, Mixpanel’s CEO, Jen Taylor, did not provide a statement. Similarly, a Pornhub spokesperson, remaining anonymous, directed all questions to the company’s previously released public statement.

Extortion Focused on Pornhub

According to a spokesperson for the ShinyHunters gang, an extortion email has been sent solely to Pornhub at this time. The number of other organizations affected by the Mixpanel breach remains undisclosed.

Mixpanel Discloses Breach

Mixpanel initially revealed a security breach on November 8th, prior to Thanksgiving. The announcement affected its corporate clientele, though specific details regarding impacted companies and the nature of the compromise were not initially provided.

Affected Companies Identified

OpenAI, CoinTracker, and SwissBorg have since confirmed their involvement as affected customers of Mixpanel.

Scale of the Data Exposure

Mixpanel serves approximately 8,000 customers, each potentially possessing millions of users whose data was compromised during the breach.

Data Collection Practices

The specific data stolen is contingent upon each customer’s configuration of their Mixpanel account. Companies generally employ Mixpanel to monitor user behavior on their websites or applications.

This tracking functions similarly to observing a user’s actions – clicks, views, and swipes – to gain insights into their online activity.

Mixpanel Data Types

Mixpanel is capable of logging details about user devices, including screen size, network connection type (Wi-Fi or cellular), and carrier information.

Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters Profile

Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters is a group comprised primarily of English-speaking hackers believed to be operating from Western countries. They have a documented history of significant data breaches.

The group is linked to some of the largest hacks of the year, including incidents targeting customers of Salesforce and Gainsight, impacting hundreds of companies.

SoundCloud Also Affected

SoundCloud confirmed on Friday that around 20% of its user base was impacted by “unauthorized activity” within an ancillary service dashboard, likely referencing Mixpanel.

The compromised data includes email addresses and information already publicly available on SoundCloud profiles.

SoundCloud's Silence

SoundCloud did not respond to a request for comment from TechCrunch regarding the incident.