Subj : Massive database containing identity info on 252 million people l
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Thu Sep 04 2025 17:15:09

Massive database containing identity info on 252 million people leaked online 
- here's what we know

Date:
Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:02:00 +0000

Description:
In some instances, the archive contained "full-spectrum" data, so be on your 
guard.

FULL STORY
======================================================================Security
 researchers at Cybernews found three servers holding a huge tranche of data 
on people in seven countries Names,  ID numbers, and more, were being leaked 
to the public The archives are now locked down 

A quarter of a billion people, located in seven countries around the world, 
were at risk of identity theft , wire fraud, phishing, social engineering, 
and other forms of cybercrime due to a collection of misconfigured databases 
leaking all sorts of personal information. 

Security researchers from Cybernews recently found three misconfigured 
servers, located in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates which contained 
detailed personal information on more than 250 million people. 

The people are apparently from Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the 
United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and Canada, with those in the first three hit 
particularly badly, as they lost full-spectrum data. "Government-level 
identity profiles" 

Generally speaking, the archives contained peoples ID numbers, dates of 
birth, contact details, and home addresses. 

 Cybernews could not determine who the database owners are, but suspected it 
was a single entity. 

It's likely that these databases were operated by a single party, due to the 
similar data structures, but theres no attribution as to who controlled the 
data, or any hard links proving that these instances belonged to the same 
party, they explained. 

The researchers also noted the way the data was structured pointed towards 
government-level identity profiles. 

The team managed to have the archives locked down by reaching out to the 
hosting providers, who barred anyone else from entering. We dont know for how 
long the database remained unlocked, or if anyone managed to access it before 
the Cybernews team. 

Information such as this can be used in all sorts of cybercrime. Threat 
actors can use it to impersonate people and open bank accounts, take out 
loans, and possibly even apply for tax cuts or returns. They could send out 
convincing phishing emails, stealing login credentials and pivoting to other 
tools, including business accounts. 

Misconfigured databases remain one of the most common causes of data leaks 
across the web and the cloud. You might also like Largest US credit union 
leaked potentially sensitive information Take a look at our guide to the best 
authenticator app We've rounded up the best password managers



======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/massive-database-containing-identity-in
fo-on-252-million-people-leaked-online-heres-what-we-know


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