Millions of users at risk of being exposed.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Extramarital dating site Ashley Madison has been hacked, with millions of users’ information potentially at risk of exposure.
Hackers of unknown origin have already begun leaking large chunks of user data from the website of AshleyMadison — a social-networking site promising “discreet encounters” for married people and which operates under the rubric “Life is short. Have an affair.”
AshleyMadison claims to be the world’s second-largest paid-for Internet dating site after Match.com, according to Bloomberg.
Krebs on Security reported that the hackers, who identify as “The Impact Team,” got a hold of “sensitive internal data” not only for AshleyMadison but also for other hookup sites owned by the company, Cougar Life, which appeals to “single moms and sexy singles looking for a young stud,” and Established Men, which promises to connect “young, beautiful women with successful men.”
According to Brian Krebs, from Krebs on Security:
In a long manifesto posted alongside the stolen ALM data, The Impact Team said it decided to publish the information in response to alleged lies ALM told its customers about a service that allows members to completely erase their profile information for a $19 fee.
According to the hackers, although the “full delete” feature that Ashley Madison advertises promises “removal of site usage history and personally identifiable information from the site” users’ purchase details — including real name and address — aren’t actually scrubbed.
Krebs reported that “The Impact Team” is threatening to expose all customer records unless Avid Life Media takes AshleyMadison and Established Men offline “permanently in all forms.”
“With over 37 million members, mostly from the U.S. and Canada, a significant percentage of the population is about to have a very bad day, including many rich and powerful people,” the hackers reportedly stated, according to Time.