Identification Images of Seventy Thousand Members Could Have Been Exposed, According to Discord
Discord, a communication service popular with video game players, announces that government identification images of approximately 70,000 users may have been exposed following a cyber-attack.
Partner Company Attacked
The service, which boasts more than 200 million users worldwide, reports that hackers had compromised a company that was responsible for authenticating the user ages of its members but the main application was not breached.
Members can upload official pictures to verify their age on Discord - a communication platform for gaming enthusiasts to communicate and exchange content with other members in the player network.
Range of Information Leak
The exposed information may involve private data, incomplete payment card information and correspondence that were shared with the platform's support representatives.
Entire financial data remained secure, login credentials, or communications and user actions outside of interactions with Discord's service team were leaked, the firm stated.
Action Taken
Every affected account holder have been alerted and Discord is collaborating with police agencies to probe the situation, it stated further.
The company announced it has revoked the external company's access to the system that was compromised in the attack. Discord chose not to specify the external provider involved.
Contradictory Statements
Some online commentators have asserted that the security incident was larger than Discord has acknowledged.
A representative for Discord stated that those allegations are inaccurate and "constitute an effort to extort payment" from the company.
"We decline to pay those behind their illegal actions," the spokesperson further stated.
Importance of Individual Details
Cybercriminals often pursue individual details, which can obtain significant value on the underground economy for utilization in scams.
Details including entire names and government identification codes is particularly prized because, in contrast to financial data, it generally stays constant through the years.
Past Verification Measures
Discord has earlier reinforced its age confirmation procedures in response to concerns that particular communities on the application were being employed to share pornographic and extremist material.
- Approximately 70,000 users compromised
- Third-party age verification provider breached
- Incomplete payment details could be compromised
- Help desk communications could have been obtained
- Police engaged in examination
