An important (but apparently old) database full of personal information has been downloaded in a Telegram group, free of charge, for anyone to see.
Cybersecurity researchers at vpnMentor discovered the 8,7 GB file dump earlier this week and found that it contained data from at least 30 million people.
The data appears to have been recovered from MGM Resorts, a hotel and casino chain whose terminals (opens in a new tab) were compromised three years ago.
Same goals, new tricks
If this is the same database, as some media outlets suggest, then it contains data on more than 140 million users of MGM Resorts. The data includes full names, postal addresses, more than 24 million unique email addresses, more than 30 million unique phone numbers, and dates of birth. Fortunately, it appears that no payment details were included, but users may still be at risk of identity theft (opens in a new tab).
Until now, MGM Resorts has remained silent on the matter, but its 2019 data breach, which included personal data from figures such as former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and pop star Justin Bieber, made the data were sold on the dark web for €3,000. .
Now, because the data is freely available to everyone, vpnMentor claims it has become "much more accessible, even for the least tech-savvy people."
While it's not clear why someone simply decided to dump such an online database without warning, BleepingComputer has two possible explanations: either it's old and worthless, or it was downloaded as a result. frequently exchanged.
No matter if someone thinks the data is worthless, the researchers still urge everyone to keep calm. "Malicious actors could send phishing and scamming messages to exposed users via text and email, using victims' full names and home or work addresses to build trust," they say.
Older people may be a particular target as they are generally easier to defraud, they added. The dates of birth found in the database can help you choose targets more easily.
Via: The Registry (Opens in a new tab)