Twitter breach: 400 million users’ data allegedly for sale on the dark web
In Brief
A threat actor is allegedly selling Twitter data from over 400 million users.
According to the seller, the database is private and they provided 1,000 accounts from high-profile users (such as Donald Trump, Vitalik Buterin, and Doja Cat) as proof.
A dark web user named Ryushi announced he was selling more than 400 million unique Twitter user data, which contain private emails and phone numbers of high-profile users such as celebrities, politicians, and companies. These include Vitalik Buterin, SpaceX, Kevin O’Leary, Donald Trump, AOC, the World Health Organization (WHO), NASA, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and many more.
Cybercrime intelligence company Hudson Rock shared the “credible threat” in a tweet, stating that it’s impossible to verify if the database actually contains over 400 million users. According to BankMyCell, Twitter currently has around 329 million users.
Haseeb Awan, the CEO of the private mobile service Efani, wrote that if the data leaks, there will be serious concerns for Twitter users. Identities of pseudo accounts could go public and be at risk; publicized phone numbers could make it easy to find any user’s address and banking details; the number of phishing attempts (through mobile phones or email) could increase dramatically; and Sim Swap Attacks could take over any user’s bank account, social media account, or email to steal funds and confidential information.
Awan wrote that the stolen Twitter data was legit because he could identify it. However, it remains unclear how the seller was able to take hold of the data. One of the possibilities is that a departing employee or internal staff leaked the data.
The seller wrote that the data was obtained in early 2022. In the post, they suggested Twitter and Elon Musk purchase the data to avoid GDPR lawsuits:
“Twitter or Elon Musk if you are reading this you are already risking a GDPR fine over 5.4m breach imaging the fine of 400m users breach source. Your best option to avoid paying $276 million USD in GDPR breach fines like Facebook did (due to 533m users being scraped) is to buy this data exclusively.”
In the thread, the seller wrote that the database wasn’t sold yet. Some sources indicated that the seller wants $200,000 for the data but might sell it for as low as $50,000.
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About The Author
Agne is a journalist who covers the latest trends and developments in the metaverse, AI, and Web3 industries for the Metaverse Post. Her passion for storytelling has led her to conduct numerous interviews with experts in these fields, always seeking to uncover exciting and engaging stories. Agne holds a Bachelor’s degree in literature and has an extensive background in writing about a wide range of topics including travel, art, and culture. She has also volunteered as an editor for the animal rights organization, where she helped raise awareness about animal welfare issues. Contact her on agnec@mpost.io.
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Agne is a journalist who covers the latest trends and developments in the metaverse, AI, and Web3 industries for the Metaverse Post. Her passion for storytelling has led her to conduct numerous interviews with experts in these fields, always seeking to uncover exciting and engaging stories. Agne holds a Bachelor’s degree in literature and has an extensive background in writing about a wide range of topics including travel, art, and culture. She has also volunteered as an editor for the animal rights organization, where she helped raise awareness about animal welfare issues. Contact her on agnec@mpost.io.
