BreachForums, a well-known marketplace in cybercriminal circles, has recently experienced a significant data breach exposing the personal information of approximately 324,000 users. The breach took place during the forum’s restoration from a prior law enforcement takedown, when sensitive data was mistakenly stored in an unsecured folder.
The exposed database includes usernames, email addresses, Argon2-hashed passwords, IP addresses, registration dates, private messages, forum posts, and PGP keys. Notably, the leaked information links some users to known cybercriminal groups such as ShinyHunters and IntelBroker. The data was published by a hacker using the alias “James,” who claims dissatisfaction with the forum’s members.
Cybersecurity firm Resecurity has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked database, which may assist law enforcement agencies in identifying and prosecuting individuals involved in illicit online activities. The user base is notably concentrated in countries including the United States, Germany, Netherlands, France, Turkey, and the UK. Many users registered with mainstream email services like Gmail.
This breach poses a significant compromise to the platform’s reliability and may prompt cybercriminals to migrate to more secure and exclusive communities. However, the forensic value of the breach remains a topic of debate due to possible data integrity issues and the anonymization techniques employed by some users. Despite the potential setbacks from this incident, BreachForums continues to operate, grappling with the consequences of this major security lapse.

Collections

BreachForums, a cybercrime marketplace, suffered a data breach exposing personal information of 324,000 users including usernames, emails, Argon2-hashed passwords, IP addresses, and private messages. The breach occurred when sensitive data was stored in an unsecured folder during restoration after a law enforcement takedown. A hacker named "James" published the database, which links users to known cybercriminal groups like ShinyHunters and IntelBroker. Resecurity confirmed the leak's authenticity, potentially aiding law enforcement in identifying criminals, though data integrity concerns and user anonymization may limit its forensic value.

Data Breach at BreachForums Exposes Over 324,000 User Accounts