What happened in the Wattpad data breach?
Twingate Team
•
Mar 7, 2024
Wattpad, a popular online platform for writers and readers to publish new user-generated stories, suffered a significant data breach in June 2020. This cybersecurity incident led to unauthorized access to the platform's database, compromising the personal information of millions of its global user base. The breach was a severe violation of user privacy and highlighted the challenges online communities face in protecting user data.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted over 268 million Wattpad accounts.
What type of data was leaked?
The data leaked in the breach included bios, birth dates, email addresses, genders, geographic locations, IP addresses, names, passwords, social media profiles, user website URLs, and usernames.
How was Wattpad hacked?
The breach occurred due to unauthorized access by an attacker to Wattpad’s database. The exact method used to compromise the database was not publicly disclosed, but such incidents often involve exploiting security vulnerabilities within the platform’s infrastructure or systems.
Wattpad’s solution
Wattpad responded to the breach by promptly launching an investigation into the incident, working with external cybersecurity experts to enhance their security measures, and resetting passwords for affected users to protect their accounts. Wattpad also communicated with its user community about the breach, offering guidance on how to secure their accounts and protect their personal information.
How do I know if I was affected?
Wattpad notified users believed to be affected by the breach via email. Users can also check services like HaveIBeenPwned to determine if their account information was compromised in this or other breaches.
What should affected users do?
Users impacted by the Wattpad data breach should take immediate steps to secure their accounts and personal information:
Change Your Wattpad Password: Update your password to a strong, unique one that is not used on other online accounts.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): If available, activating 2FA can provide an additional layer of security for your account.
Monitor Account Activity: Keep an eye on your account for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.
Be Cautious of Phishing Attempts: Be wary of emails or messages that ask for personal information or direct you to suspicious websites, claiming to be from Wattpad.
For more detailed support, reaching out to Wattpad’s customer service via their support page is advisable.
Where can I go to learn more?
For additional information on the Wattpad data breach and for advice on safeguarding your digital presence, please refer to the following resources:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
What happened in the Wattpad data breach?
Twingate Team
•
Mar 7, 2024
Wattpad, a popular online platform for writers and readers to publish new user-generated stories, suffered a significant data breach in June 2020. This cybersecurity incident led to unauthorized access to the platform's database, compromising the personal information of millions of its global user base. The breach was a severe violation of user privacy and highlighted the challenges online communities face in protecting user data.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted over 268 million Wattpad accounts.
What type of data was leaked?
The data leaked in the breach included bios, birth dates, email addresses, genders, geographic locations, IP addresses, names, passwords, social media profiles, user website URLs, and usernames.
How was Wattpad hacked?
The breach occurred due to unauthorized access by an attacker to Wattpad’s database. The exact method used to compromise the database was not publicly disclosed, but such incidents often involve exploiting security vulnerabilities within the platform’s infrastructure or systems.
Wattpad’s solution
Wattpad responded to the breach by promptly launching an investigation into the incident, working with external cybersecurity experts to enhance their security measures, and resetting passwords for affected users to protect their accounts. Wattpad also communicated with its user community about the breach, offering guidance on how to secure their accounts and protect their personal information.
How do I know if I was affected?
Wattpad notified users believed to be affected by the breach via email. Users can also check services like HaveIBeenPwned to determine if their account information was compromised in this or other breaches.
What should affected users do?
Users impacted by the Wattpad data breach should take immediate steps to secure their accounts and personal information:
Change Your Wattpad Password: Update your password to a strong, unique one that is not used on other online accounts.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): If available, activating 2FA can provide an additional layer of security for your account.
Monitor Account Activity: Keep an eye on your account for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.
Be Cautious of Phishing Attempts: Be wary of emails or messages that ask for personal information or direct you to suspicious websites, claiming to be from Wattpad.
For more detailed support, reaching out to Wattpad’s customer service via their support page is advisable.
Where can I go to learn more?
For additional information on the Wattpad data breach and for advice on safeguarding your digital presence, please refer to the following resources:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
What happened in the Wattpad data breach?
Twingate Team
•
Mar 7, 2024
Wattpad, a popular online platform for writers and readers to publish new user-generated stories, suffered a significant data breach in June 2020. This cybersecurity incident led to unauthorized access to the platform's database, compromising the personal information of millions of its global user base. The breach was a severe violation of user privacy and highlighted the challenges online communities face in protecting user data.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted over 268 million Wattpad accounts.
What type of data was leaked?
The data leaked in the breach included bios, birth dates, email addresses, genders, geographic locations, IP addresses, names, passwords, social media profiles, user website URLs, and usernames.
How was Wattpad hacked?
The breach occurred due to unauthorized access by an attacker to Wattpad’s database. The exact method used to compromise the database was not publicly disclosed, but such incidents often involve exploiting security vulnerabilities within the platform’s infrastructure or systems.
Wattpad’s solution
Wattpad responded to the breach by promptly launching an investigation into the incident, working with external cybersecurity experts to enhance their security measures, and resetting passwords for affected users to protect their accounts. Wattpad also communicated with its user community about the breach, offering guidance on how to secure their accounts and protect their personal information.
How do I know if I was affected?
Wattpad notified users believed to be affected by the breach via email. Users can also check services like HaveIBeenPwned to determine if their account information was compromised in this or other breaches.
What should affected users do?
Users impacted by the Wattpad data breach should take immediate steps to secure their accounts and personal information:
Change Your Wattpad Password: Update your password to a strong, unique one that is not used on other online accounts.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): If available, activating 2FA can provide an additional layer of security for your account.
Monitor Account Activity: Keep an eye on your account for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.
Be Cautious of Phishing Attempts: Be wary of emails or messages that ask for personal information or direct you to suspicious websites, claiming to be from Wattpad.
For more detailed support, reaching out to Wattpad’s customer service via their support page is advisable.
Where can I go to learn more?
For additional information on the Wattpad data breach and for advice on safeguarding your digital presence, please refer to the following resources: