Hacking group says it’s extorting Pornhub after stealing users’ viewing data

The hacking group Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, which includes members of a gang known as ShinyHunters, said it is attempting to extort porn site Pornhub, after claiming to have stolen personal information belonging to the website’s premium members.

Mixpanel chief executive Jen Taylor did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. A Pornhub spokesperson, who did not provide their full name, did not answer questions sent by TechCrunch about the incident, referring us instead to the company’s published statement.

A spokesperson for the ShinyHunters gang told TechCrunch that the hackers have sent an extortion email only to Pornhub so far, and declined to say how many other companies were part of the Mixpanel incident.

According to Mixpanel’s website, the company has around 8,000 customers, with each customer having potentially millions of users whose data was taken in the breach.

The type of data stolen likely depends on how each customer configured their Mixpanel account to collect data.

Generally speaking, companies use Mixpanel to track what their users do on their site or apps, similar to an app developer or website owner watching over a user’s shoulder to learn what they click, view, or swipe. Mixpanel can also log information about the user’s devices, such as the size of the screen, whether they are on Wi-Fi or a cellular network, and the name of the carrier, among other data.

SoundCloud did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.