Adult FriendFinder Sex And Dating Website Allegedly Hacked Again

Adult FriendFinder, a leading dating and sex website, has confirmed it is investigating reports that it has been hacked…again.

It comes after the adult website admitted last year that its systems had been breached by hackers, who leaked detailed personal information on millions of users.

That leak was highly damaging as it include users email addresses, usernames, dates of birth, postcodes, as well as their sexual preferences and whether they are seeking extramarital affairs.

Hack Claims

The site, a sex-oriented spin-off of dating website FriendFinder.com, has over 60 million members, and is ranked as one of the US top 100 websites.

And now it was reported by Motherboard that an “underground researcher” called 1×0123 claimed on Twitter this week that he had hacked the Adult FriendFinder website. He even posted screenshots of the hack.

However the tweets and screenshots have since been removed.

“Working with @adultfriendfind on the fix of the vulnerability, More updates will be posted here!!”  1×0123 later posted.

“@adultfriendfind problem fixed good cooperation working with FriendFinder on this issue no customer information ever left their site,” he later tweeted.

FriendFinder Networks is the website’s parent company.

Meanwhile another notorious hacker known as Peace also told Motherboard that he had hacked the website and had obtained a database of 73 million users. He claimed to used a backdoor to the website that was publicised following the previous hack and managed to download the database of user details.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for FriendFinder network told Motherboard that the company was “aware of reports of a security incident.“

“We are currently investigating to determine the validity of the reports,” the company reportedly said. “If we confirm that a security incident did occur, we will work to address any issues and notify any customers that may be affected.”

Router Security

The data breach highlights the ongoing problems both users and organisations have with maintaining their security systems.

Matters are not helped when security firm ESET found that at least 15 percent of home routers are unsecured.

It blogged that it had tested more than 12,000 home routers of users who agreed to share their data anonymously for statistical purposes.

And the results were alarming, after 15 percent of the tested routers used weak passwords, with “admin” left as the username in most cases. It found that more than one in seven of its simple simulated attacks was successful.

The analysis also revealed that approximately seven percent of the routers tested show vulnerabilities of high or medium severity, the firm warned. Most of the software vulnerabilities (just over 50 percent) discovered by ESET were bad access rights vulnerabilities.

“The results clearly show that routers can be attacked fairly easily, by exploiting one of the frequently found vulnerabilities,” the firm said. “This makes them an Achilles heel in the overall internet security of households, as well as small businesses.”

“Users should make sure that they use strong passwords to protect their home routers, as well as using the latest firmware,” it said. “Regular scans using security tools might reveal other router vulnerabilities, malicious configurations and/or exploitable network services, as well as offer advice on how to resolve them.”

Are you a security pro? Try our quiz!

Tom Jowitt

Tom Jowitt is a leading British tech freelancer and long standing contributor to Silicon UK. He is also a bit of a Lord of the Rings nut...

Recent Posts

The Sustainability of AI

While AI promises unparalleled efficiency, productivity, and innovation, questions regarding its environmental impact loom large.…

1 hour ago

Trump’s Truth Social Makes Successful Market Debut

Shares in Donald Trump’s social media company rose about 16 percent after first day of…

2 hours ago

Dutch PM Raises Cyber Espionage Case With China’s Xi

Beijing visit sees Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte discuss cyber espionage incident with Chinese President…

2 hours ago

Vodafone Germany Confirms 2,000 Job Losses, Amid European Restructuring

More downsizing at Vodafone after German operation announces 2,000 jobs will be axed, as automation…

19 hours ago

AI Poses ‘Jobs Apocalypse’, Warns Report

IPPR report warns AI could remove almost 8 million jobs in the United Kingdom, with…

20 hours ago

Europe’s Longest Hyperloop Test Track Opens

European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands seeks to advance futuristic transport technology, despite US setbacks

20 hours ago