X Data Breach Exposes Millions

Summary

Over 200 million X user records leaked, combining data from multiple breaches dating back to 2022. The leaked data includes names, email addresses, locations, and other profile information, increasing the risk of phishing and social engineering attacks. The individual responsible claims to have alerted X but received no response.

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** Main Story**

Okay, so, there’s been a pretty massive data breach hitting X (you know, used to be Twitter). We’re talking about over 200 million users potentially affected. It’s a serious situation, I think we all need to be aware of. This info was apparently put together by someone calling themselves ‘ThinkingOne’, and it seems to be a mashup of breaches stretching back to 2022 and going all the way up to 2025. Let’s dig into the details, what it might mean for us, and what you can do to protect yourself.

How Big is This, Really?

The leaked data is huge; a 34GB CSV file with a whopping 201,186,753 entries. That’s not a small number. Inside, we’re talking X screen names, user IDs, real names, locations, even email addresses. Plus follower counts, profile info, time zones, and those profile pics we all carefully chose.

ThinkingOne claims they’ve combined a 2023 breach with email addresses and, get this, a massive breach from January 2025 containing 2.8 billion unique Twitter IDs and screen names. Wow, right? Cybersecurity folks have looked at it, and it seems legit based on comparing the data to public X profiles. But, X themselves? Still radio silence.

Where Did This Come From?

The origin story here isn’t great. Back in January 2022, a vulnerability was found through Twitter’s bug bounty program. It basically let attackers grab user data using just an email or phone number. While Twitter patched it up, the data that got out still made its way into later leaks. And that 2.8 billion record breach? That’s probably including inactive accounts, or even bot accounts, alongside the real users. It’s a bit of a mess, to be honest.

What’s the Danger?

Frankly, this breach makes phishing and social engineering way easier. If someone has your email address and a bunch of other profile details, they can make some pretty convincing phishing attempts. Think emails pretending to be from X or even Elon Musk himself. These messages might get you to click on a dodgy link or hand over sensitive info, it’s that simple. Sure, passwords and financial details weren’t directly part of this leak, but, the exposed data is more than enough for malicious actors to do some real damage.

So, What Can You Do About It?

Even though X hasn’t said anything official yet, you should absolutely take steps to protect yourself. I mean, it’s just good practice anyway, right? So, here’s what I’d suggest:

• Watch out for dodgy messages: Be super careful with any emails, messages, or calls asking for personal or financial info. Don’t click links or download anything from people you don’t trust. It’s just not worth the risk.
• Privacy check: Go through your privacy settings on all your social media. Limit who can see your info, especially your email, location, and phone number. You’d be surprised how much info is publicly visible by default.
• Passwords, Passwords, Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for everything, including X. A password manager is your best friend here; they’re a lifesaver.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Turn on 2FA on your X account and anything else important. It gives you that extra layer of security, needing something more than just your password.
• Keep an Eye on Things: Regularly check your X account activity for anything weird. Report anything suspicious to X right away.
• Stay in the loop: Keep up with the latest cybersecurity news. New threats are popping up all the time, and it pays to know what’s out there. For instance, I read about a new phishing scam just last week.

This X data breach is a good reminder that we need to be extra careful online. Social media is great, but it comes with risks. Taking proactive steps and staying vigilant is the only way to protect your personal info in this interconnected world. Now, all this information is up to date as of today, April 12, 2025, but things can change fast. You might want to check back for any updates on this breach.

Do you think social media companies are doing enough to protect our data? It’s a question we all need to be asking.