In case you have profiles on adult dating websites, chances are that your personal data might have been leaked to spammers. One of the world’s largest such websites, Adult FriendFinder, has been hacked and extremely personal information of nearly four million users has been leaked. Also Read - Xiaomi Mi 10T at Rs 32,999 without bank offers on Flipkart: Is it worth buying?
First reported by UK’s Channel 4, the leaked information includes sexual preferences, sexual inclination whether the user was straight or gay and even whether they were seeking extramarital affairs. Of course, the data also consists email addresses, usernames, date of birth, IP addresses and postal codes. Even users who had deleted their accounts had their information leaked. Also Read - Beeper app universal chat app will integrate iMessage on Android, Windows
FriendFinder Networks admitted to the breach and told the publication that it had launched a “comprehensive investigation with the help of a leading third-party forensics expert.” The company also said that they understand the seriousness of this issue and has taken the necessary legal steps. Also Read - Today's Tech News: FAU-G pre-registration, Realme X9 launch, Poco C3 1 million units
“We have already begun working closely with law enforcement and have launched a comprehensive investigation with the help of leading third-party forensics expert, Mandiant. Until the investigation is completed, it will be difficult to determine with certainty the full scope of the incident, but we will continue to work vigilantly to address this potential issue and will provide updates as we learn more from our investigation. We cannot speculate further about this issue, but rest assured, we pledge to take the appropriate steps needed to protect our customers if they are affected,” the company told the publication.
FriendFinder currently has 63 million users worldwide, and all the 3.9 million affected by the hack have been subjected to massive spam emails since their data has been stolen. Cyber experts believe that these users could also be blackmailed by the hackers, as they now hold extremely sensitive information.
