Clubhouse? More like flubhouse: Massive Clubhouse data breach(alleged)

[WolframaticAlpha]

Summary

Clubhouse, the hot new Social media app has allegedly suffered MASSIVE data breach. 3.8 billion phone numbers, apparently associated with clubhouse users have been leaked and are being sold on the darknet. While Clubhouse has denied the allegation, it remains to be seen whether the data is actually verified. This can be extremely damaging for Clubhouse, which has seen growing competition from Twitter, Discord and Facebook. Clubhouse had dropped it's invite-only requirement only yesterday.

 

Quotes

Quote

The entire Clubhouse database is offered on the Darknet. This is claimed by at least one user who wants to sell the database in September at a private auction.

So that interested parties can check the authenticity of the data, a free sample with 83 million telephone numbers is offered.

Quote

As the news of data breach surfaced online revealing that millions of phone numbers of Clubhouse users are 'up for sale' on Dark Web, the chat app maker on Sunday informed that there has been no data breach.

The company also said that it continues to invest in industry-leading security practices, as privacy and security are of the utmost importance to Clubhouse.

My thoughts

I don't trust Clubhouse or any tech company to be forthcoming. Tech companies never confirm a data leak until it is too late. I hope that my number didn't leak though.

 

Sources

Twitter post says leaked date of Clubhouse users up for sale - BusinessToday

Clubhouse leaks 3.8 billion phone numbers (futurezone.at)

There has been no data breach, says Clubhouse : The Tribune India

[Master Disaster]

Interesting how they phrased their response.

 

"There has been no data breach"

 

Yeah, because a hack is the only way data can be stolen, maybe a site admin is selling the database?

[Roswell]

I somehow doubt 3.8 billion people (roughly 50% of the world's population) are using this social media app. Either this is fake news or the people involved/reporting are grossly exaggerating numbers.

[Master Disaster]

1 minute ago, Roswell said:

I somehow doubt 3.8 billion people (roughly 50% of the world's population) are using this social media app. Sounds like fake news.

Maybe its because I only just woke up but I totally missed that detail, I read it as 3.8 million.

 

Considering the app was invite only until a few days ago, I'd say you are almost certainly correct.

[Spotty]

Apparently it's just a list of phone numbers, no other personal data connected to the number or included. Good luck finding a buyer for a list of 3.8 billion randomly generated phone numbers.

 

[The_russian]

I have no idea why the tweet wasn’t listed as a source or linked to at all, considering that is the original source for the other articles:

 

Which could answer the question how in the world the database has 3.8 billion phone numbers when there are nowhere near that amount of users: the database includes the phone numbers of synced contact lists. Even given that, 3.8 billion still seems like a very inflated number to me and that’s assuming the leak is even real, since as @Spotty mentioned these appear to be only numbers with no other info attached, so they could be randomly generated phone numbers for all anyone knows. 
 

Also found the last sentences from the leaker’s post interesting:

Quote

The GDPR law promises that companies who collect data on non-user will be punished. It’s time to see if the law is going to sanction Clubhouse or if it is only a threat.

 

[Murasaki]

40 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Apparently it's just a list of phone numbers, no other personal data connected to the number or included. Good luck finding a buyer for a list of 3.8 billion randomly generated phone numbers.

 

Tech support scammers be licking their lips tho

[poochyena]

I never even heard of this before. Its a social media app? Anyways, if its just phone numbers, its not a big deal at all. You can just google search just lists of random phone numbers.