Pornhub warned users after a data leak exposed emails, viewing activity, and search history, while passwords and payment details stayed safe.
Over 200 million analytics records, mainly linked to premium users, were affected, with data dating back to 2023 or earlier.
The breach came from third-party service Mixpanel, and hacking group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility.
Pornhub has recently alerted its users that their activity on the site may have been exposed in a major data breach. While the company assured the users that the passwords and payment information of the users remain secured, the sheer size of the leak has caused widespread concern amongst the users. The breach appears to be associated with the leak that happened in the Mixpanel analytics service used by Pornhub and other companies earlier this month. It’s reported that the stolen data consisted of the email addresses, video titles, search queries, and timestamps of user actions. However, the financial details were not affected, said the company. ShinyHunters is a notorious group that claims to be behind the breach.
SurveyWho were the affected users?
Pornhub is one of the most visited adult websites globally. The adult website confirmed that the exposed information was limited to analytics data stored with Mixpanel. The company clarified that highly sensitive details such as user passwords, payment information, and government-issued identification were not involved in the breach. However, the data that was accessed includes email addresses, approximate location data, video titles, search terms, activity categories, and timestamps.
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According to Pornhub, the incident involves more than 200 million user entries, primarily linked to premium users. The company also noted that the data dates back to 2023 or earlier, as Pornhub ended its relationship with Mixpanel in the same year. While describing the exposure as a ‘limited set of analytics events for some users’, Pornhub acknowledged that the nature of the content makes the information particularly sensitive.
Source of the Pornhub data breach
Pornhub emphasised that the unauthorised access did not originate from its own infrastructure. Instead, the exposure occurred within Mixpanel’s systems, which were used as a third-party analytics provider. Following the discovery, Pornhub stated that it has informed affected users and advised them to stay alert for phishing attempts or suspicious communications.
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Who was behind the Pornhub data breach attack?
The hacking group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the breach. The group is known for its involvement in several high-profile data leaks targeting large companies. According to reports, the group allegedly obtained detailed browsing-related analytics data linked to Pornhub users, though no financial details or login credentials were included.
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Extortion claims
ShinyHunters reportedly attempted to extort Pornhub by claiming that the stolen data reveals how individual users interacted with the platform over time. These claims have added to concerns around user privacy, even though core account security information remained unaffected.
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Bhaskar Sharma
Bhaskar is a senior copy editor at Digit India, where he simplifies complex tech topics across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and emerging consumer tech. His work has appeared in iGeeksBlog, GuidingTech, and other publications, and he previously served as an assistant editor at TechBloat and TechReloaded. A B.Tech graduate and full-time tech writer, he is known for clear, practical guides and explainers. View Full Profile
