MrExcel
MediumIn 2016, the MrExcel forum suffered a breach involving over 366,000 user accounts, exposing hashed passwords and sensitive data.
- Records exposed
- 366,140 records
- Breach date
- Breach Dec 5, 2016
- Last update
- Updated Jan 22, 2017
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 December 2016, the online forum associated with MrExcel, a notable platform for discussions and assistance on Microsoft Excel, suffered a data breach. This incident, impacting more than 366,000 user accounts, resulted in unauthorized access to email addresses, usernames, dates of birth, IP addresses, hashed passwords, website activity, and social connections. The breach stemmed from a compromise of the forum software, vBulletin, where passwords were hashed using MD5, a known cryptographically vulnerable algorithm. After the incident, the breached data was submitted to Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) by the forum owner for greater awareness.
Impact Analysis
Understanding the scope and consequences of this breach.
- User Impact
- Users faced risks of account compromise, phishing, and potential identity theft.
- Business Impact
- The breach could affect user trust and platform reputation while necessitating investments in improved security measures.
- Affected Sectors
- Technology
- Online Communities
- Geographic Impact
- Global
What You Should Do
Recommended actions to take in response to this breach.
If You Were Affected
- •Change passwords associated with the impacted site.
- •Monitor email accounts for any suspicious activity.
Preventive Measures
- •Utilize strong, unique passwords along with multi-factor authentication.
- •Regularly update software to mitigate vulnerabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this breach and what it means for you.