Massive leak exposes data of millions in China
Only 16 datasets were accessed before the leak vanished, but they pointed to a massive, organised effort involving sensitive Chinese personal information.
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a brief but significant leak of over 600 gigabytes of data, exposing information on millions of Chinese citizens.
The haul, containing WeChat, Alipay, banking, and residential records, is part of a centralised system, possibly aimed at large-scale surveillance instead of a random data breach.
According to research from Cybernews and cybersecurity consultant Bob Diachenko, the data was likely used to build individuals’ detailed behavioural, social and economic profiles.
They warned the information could be exploited for phishing, fraud, blackmail or even disinformation campaigns instead of remaining dormant. Although only 16 datasets were reviewed before the database vanished, they indicated a highly organised and purposeful collection effort.
The source of the leak remains unknown, but the scale and nature of the data suggest it may involve government-linked or state-backed entities rather than lone hackers.
The exposed information could allow malicious actors to track residence locations, financial activity and personal identifiers, placing millions at risk instead of keeping their lives private and secure.
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