Data Breach Summary
In a concerning turn of events, Duolingo, the widely-used online language learning platform, fell victim to a significant security breach in January 2023. This breach, detected by our dedicated team at InsecureWeb on August 25, 2023, resulted in the exposure of sensitive user information. The breach, attributed to the hacker “sumo,” took place on the Dark Web within the “cronos.li” forum.
Where and How?
During the breach, Duolingo’s user data was scraped using a public API, leading to the exposure of information pertaining to approximately 2.6 million user accounts. The compromised data included email addresses, selected learning languages, Boolean values indicating phone number presence, user names, enrolled courses, and other related details. The stolen information poses a potential risk to affected users, warranting immediate attention and action.
This security breach highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and maintaining constant vigilance in today’s digital landscape. Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to valuable user data, emphasizing the critical need for organizations like Duolingo to remain ever-diligent in safeguarding user information.
A Screenshot of the data can be found below:
Company Data Breach History
Duolingo’s security breach history prior to this incident shows no known previous breaches. This makes the breach all the more shocking, underscoring the ever-evolving challenges faced by online platforms in defending against determined hackers. In response to this breach, Duolingo must reinforce its security measures, implement stringent data protection protocols, and engage in thorough risk assessments to prevent future security compromises.
Affected users should take immediate action to protect their online accounts. This includes changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, monitoring financial and personal accounts for suspicious activity, and staying vigilant against phishing attempts and identity theft-related risks.
Recommendations for Personal Data Protection
How Users Can Protect Their Information
To protect their personal information and accounts from being compromised, users should take the following steps:
– Change their passwords frequently, with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
– Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
– Use unique passwords for each account, to prevent hackers from accessing multiple accounts with the same password.
– Be cautious of suspicious emails or messages, as they may contain phishing links that can compromise their accounts.
– Regularly monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity.
What is InsecureWeb?
InsecureWeb is a Dark Web monitoring service that keeps track of recent data breaches and tracks their impact by monitoring the darkest places of the internet. InsecureWeb notifies users and enterprises when their data has been found online and helps them mitigate the impact.