ClixSense
HIGH RISKData breach — September 2016
In September 2016, the paid-to-click site ClixSense suffered a data breach which exposed 2.4 million subscriber identities. The breached data was then posted online by the attackers who claimed it was a subset of a larger data breach totalling 6.6 million records. The leaked data was extensive and included names, physical, email and IP addresses, genders and birth dates, account balances and passwords stored as plain text.
search Check if you were affected — freeData exposed in this breach
What happened in the ClixSense data breach?
In September 2016, the paid-to-click site ClixSense suffered a data breach which exposed 2.4 million subscriber identities. The breached data was then posted online by the attackers who claimed it was a subset of a larger data breach totalling 6.6 million records. The leaked data was extensive and included names, physical, email and IP addresses, genders and birth dates, account balances and passwords stored as plain text.
The exposed data included 12 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 ClixSense hacked?
Yes. ClixSense was breached in September 2016. The breach exposed 2,424,784 records including account balances, dates of birth, email addresses. 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 ClixSense breach so dangerous?
The ClixSense breach exposed 2,424,784 records — that is 2.4M people whose personal data is now circulating on the dark web. The combination of account balances, dates of birth, email addresses makes this a high-risk breach that requires immediate action.
Because passwords were exposed, attackers can use credential stuffing to automatically test your ClixSense 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 ClixSense breach?
Account balances — may be combined with other breach data to build a profile for targeted attacks
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
Genders — 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
Names — used to build profiles and target you with personalised scams
Passwords — can be used to access your accounts directly or cracked to reveal your actual password
Payment histories — may be combined with other breach data to build a profile for targeted attacks
Payment methods — may be combined with other breach data to build a profile for targeted attacks
Physical addresses — combined with other data, used for identity theft and physical fraud
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 ClixSense breach still dangerous in 2026?
Yes. Stolen data from the ClixSense 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 2016 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 ClixSense 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 ClixSense breach
Approximately 2,424,784 user records were exposed in the ClixSense breach in September 2016.
Yes. Leaked credentials are actively used in credential stuffing attacks years after a breach. If you reused your ClixSense 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 ClixSense dataset and tell you instantly whether your email was exposed and what data was taken.
Change your ClixSense 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 ClixSense breach?
The ClixSense data breach affected approximately 2,424,784 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 ClixSense 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 ClixSense breach
Change your ClixSense password immediately
Go to ClixSense 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 ClixSense 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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