Chegg
HighChegg's 2018 breach exposed 40M user records, including emails, names, and passwords stored in insecure formats.
- Records exposed
- 39,721,127 records
- Breach date
- Breach Apr 28, 2018
- Last update
- Updated Apr 27, 2024
What data was exposed?
Fields reported as compromised in this breach record.
Why does this breach matter?
In-depth analysis of the breach and its implications.
In April 2018, Chegg, an online textbook rental and student services platform, experienced a significant data breach compromising roughly 40 million user accounts. The data exposed included usernames, email addresses, names, and passwords stored unsafely as unsalted MD5 hashes. Additionally, some records included physical addresses and phone numbers, highlighting the sensitivity of the information involved.
Impact Analysis
Understanding the scope and consequences of this breach.
- User Impact
- Users faced potential risks such as account compromise and identity theft, given the exposed personal information.
- Business Impact
- The organization experienced reputational damage and increased scrutiny concerning their data protection measures.
- Affected Sectors
- Educational Services
- Technology
- Geographic Impact
- Global
What You Should Do
Recommended actions to take in response to this breach.
If You Were Affected
- •Change passwords immediately, especially for accounts sharing credentials.
- •Monitor any bank or online services for unauthorized access.
- •Consider identity monitoring services.
Preventive Measures
- •Use strong, unique passwords for each online account.
- •Enable two-factor authentication to enhance security.
- •Routinely update passwords and secure your account recovery options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this breach and what it means for you.
Attribution
Additional attribution provided with the breach record.
JimScott.Sec@protonmail.com