Snapchat
What was exposed
Geographic locationsPhone numbersUsernames
What to do if you were affected
- Watch for text-message phishing and SIM-swap attempts on your phone number.
- Be wary of targeted scams that use your personal details to sound convincing.
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Protect your data Details
In January 2014 just one week after Gibson Security detailed vulnerabilities in the service , Snapchat had 4.6 million usernames and phone number exposed. The attack involved brute force enumeration of a large number of phone numbers against the Snapchat API in what appears to be a response to Snapchat's assertion that such an attack was "theoretical". Consequently, the breach enabled individual usernames (which are often used across other services) to be resolved to phone numbers which users usually wish to keep private.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Snapchat data breach?
In January 2014 just one week after Gibson Security detailed vulnerabilities in the service , Snapchat had 4.6 million usernames and phone number exposed. The attack involved brute force enumeration of a large number of phone numbers against the Snapchat API...
When did the data breach happen?
This data breach occurred around January 2014.
How many accounts were affected?
Around 4,609,615 accounts were affected.
What information was exposed?
Exposed data included Geographic locations, Phone numbers and Usernames.
What should I do if I was affected?
Watch for text-message phishing and SIM-swap attempts on your phone number. Be wary of targeted scams that use your personal details to sound convincing.
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