Black Hat World
HIGH RISKData breach — June 2014
In June 2014, the search engine optimisation forum Black Hat World had three quarters of a million accounts breached from their system. The breach included various personally identifiable attributes which were publicly released in a MySQL database script.
search Check if you were affected — freeData exposed in this breach
What happened in the Black Hat World data breach?
In June 2014, the search engine optimisation forum Black Hat World had three quarters of a million accounts breached from their system. The breach included various personally identifiable attributes which were publicly released in a MySQL database script.
The exposed data included 7 types of personal information. Because passwords were exposed, users who reused their password on other sites are at particular risk. Learn more about what a data breach means for you.
Quick answer — was Black Hat World hacked?
Yes. Black Hat World was breached in June 2014. The breach exposed 777,387 records including dates of birth, email addresses, instant messenger identities. This breach has been independently verified. If your email was involved, your data may still be at risk today. Check if you were affected.
Why was the Black Hat World breach so dangerous?
The Black Hat World breach exposed 777,387 records — that is a large number of compromised accounts. The combination of dates of birth, email addresses, instant messenger identities makes this a high-risk breach that requires immediate action.
Because passwords were exposed, attackers can use credential stuffing to automatically test your Black Hat World password against hundreds of other websites. If you reused your password anywhere, those accounts are now at risk. Read more about what happens to your data after a breach.
Don't wait to find out — check if your email was exposed in this breach now.
What data was stolen in the Black Hat World breach?
Dates of birth — used to verify identity for account takeover and fraud
Email addresses — used for phishing attacks and credential stuffing against your other accounts
Instant messenger identities — may be combined with other breach data to build a profile for targeted attacks
IP addresses — combined with other data, used for identity theft and physical fraud
Passwords — can be used to access your accounts directly or cracked to reveal your actual password
Usernames — used to build profiles and target you with personalised scams
Website activity — may be combined with other breach data to build a profile for targeted attacks
Is the Black Hat World breach still dangerous in 2026?
Yes. Stolen data from the Black Hat World breach remains dangerous years after the incident. Research shows that over 65% of stolen credentials from older breaches have never been changed by the account holders. Attackers routinely compile data from multiple breaches to build complete profiles, and credentials from 2014 are still actively used in credential stuffing attacks today.
Personal information like email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth never expire. Even if you changed your Black Hat World password, the other exposed data can be combined with information from other breaches to target you. Learn more about how long stolen data stays dangerous.
Frequently asked about the Black Hat World breach
Approximately 777,387 user records were exposed in the Black Hat World breach in June 2014.
Yes. Leaked credentials are actively used in credential stuffing attacks years after a breach. If you reused your Black Hat World password elsewhere and haven't changed it, those accounts remain at risk today.
Enter your email in the free checker on EmailLeaked. We scan 12 billion+ breach records including the full Black Hat World dataset and tell you instantly whether your email was exposed and what data was taken.
Change your Black Hat World password immediately, change any other account where you used the same password, enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts, and monitor for phishing emails over the next 90 days.
Who was affected by the Black Hat World breach?
The Black Hat World data breach affected approximately 777,387 users who had accounts with the service. While not the largest breach on record, it still represents a significant number of compromised accounts in our database of 970+ known breaches.
If you ever created an account with Black Hat World or used their services, your data may have been included in this breach. Check your email now to find out. You can also read our guide on what to do immediately after a data breach.
If your email was in the Black Hat World breach
Change your Black Hat World password immediately
Go to Black Hat World and change your password right now. Use a strong, unique password that you have never used anywhere else.
Change any account sharing that password
If you used the same password on other sites, change it on every one of them. Attackers test stolen credentials on hundreds of popular sites within hours.
Enable two-factor authentication
Turn on 2FA on Black Hat World and every important account. Even if your password is known, attackers cannot get in without the second factor.
Check your other accounts for this breach
Run a full email check to see every breach your email appears in — not just this one.
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