The hacking group known as ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for stealing data from premium users of the popular adult website Pornhub and is now threatening to make this information public. The hackers have demanded a ransom payment in Bitcoin to prevent the release of the data, which they say includes sensitive information about users.
The breach’s specifics remain unclear, with Reuters unable to ascertain the full scope or details of the incident. However, ShinyHunters provided a sample of the data that the news agency was able to partially authenticate. At least three former customers—two men from Canada and one from the United States—confirmed the authenticity of the data, although they noted that it was several years old. All three spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information.
ShinyHunters communicated their demands in an online chat with Reuters, stating, “We’re demanding a ransom payment in Bitcoin to prevent the publication of data and delete the data.” The group is known for its history of high-profile hacks and extortion attempts.
Details of the Breach and Response
Although Pornhub and its corporate owners, Ethical Capital Partners, based in Ottawa, Canada, did not respond to inquiries, cybersecurity news site Bleeping Computer first reported on the breach. Pornhub, which boasts over 100 million daily visits and 36 billion visits annually, is one of the internet’s leading platforms for adult content, offering numerous free and premium services.
ShinyHunters claimed to have data from at least 14 users of Pornhub’s premium service, which provides features such as high-definition videos and ad-free viewing. Reuters found that details from six individuals in the leaked data matched information from previous breaches preserved by the dark web intelligence firm District 4 Labs. Three of these individuals confirmed that they had previously subscribed to Pornhub’s premium service.
The method by which ShinyHunters obtained the data remains unknown, as the group did not disclose further details about the breach.
Ongoing Investigations and Statements
On December 12, 2023, Pornhub acknowledged a recent cybersecurity incident linked to a third-party data analytics provider, Mixpanel. The company stated that this incident affected an undisclosed number of Pornhub Premium users and that it involved a “limited set of analytics events for some users.”
Mixpanel, which provides analytics services to various clients, disclosed a security incident on November 27, 2023. In response to Pornhub’s statement, Mixpanel confirmed that it could find “no indication that this data was stolen from our November 2023 security incident or otherwise.”
As investigations continue, the implications of this breach raise significant concerns about user privacy and data security for platforms handling sensitive information. As the situation develops, the response from both Pornhub and affected users will likely shape the conversation surrounding cybersecurity in the adult entertainment industry.
