Trik Spam Botnet data breach

Breach date: 2018-06-12. Added to this index: 2018-06-14. Accounts affected: about 43M. Domain: not listed.

What happened

In June 2018, the command and control server of a malicious botnet known as the "Trik Spam Botnet" was misconfigured such that it exposed the email addresses of more than 43 million people. The researchers who discovered the exposed Russian server believe the list of addresses was used to distribute various malware strains via malspam campaigns (emails designed to deliver malware).

Breach data sourced from Have I Been Pwned, used under CC BY 4.0. Additional breach metadata provided by XposedOrNot. DataExposed is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either.

What was exposed

  • Email addresses: The email address you used to register or log in. It is the most common field in breaches because it doubles as your username on most sites.

What to do now

  1. Check whether your own address is in this dataset with the free email breach check.
  2. Review the accounts connected to this service and turn on two-factor authentication.
  3. Turn on two-factor authentication on your email account first, because it is the reset path for everything else.
  4. Treat calls and messages that quote real details about you as hostile until you verify them another way.

Frequently asked questions

What data was leaked in the Trik Spam Botnet breach?

The Trik Spam Botnet breach exposed Email addresses. About 43M accounts were affected.

Was I affected by the Trik Spam Botnet breach?

Run the free email breach check with the address you used on that service. It will tell you whether your address appears in this dataset.

What should I do about the Trik Spam Botnet breach?

Treat any message that quotes details from this breach as suspicious, turn on two-factor authentication, and consider removing your details from people-search sites if your address or phone was included.

Next steps