Homepage URLs leaked: what it means and what to do
Risk level: low. Can you change it: yes. Found in 2 breaches in this directory.
What this data is
The personal website, blog, portfolio or social profile link you added to a forum, developer site or community profile.
The risk on its own
Low risk. The link was usually public on your profile already. The only real concern is that it points straight to more information about you.
The risk combined with other data
Where the account was meant to be pseudonymous, the homepage link may be the thing that ties it to your real name. A personal site can also reveal your location, employer and contact details. If the domain has since expired, someone else may own it and use your old links for spam or phishing.
How criminals use it
A pseudonymous forum account is tied to your real identity because the homepage field pointed at your personal blog.
Your old domain lapses, a spammer registers it, and links on your old profiles now send visitors to a scam site.
A phishing email mentions your website to pass as a genuine business enquiry.
What to do now
Check the site the link points to, and remove your home address, phone number and any other details you do not want public.
Renew domains you still want, and remove links to domains you have let expire.
Remove homepage links from accounts you want kept separate from your real name.
Change the password on the breached account if you used it anywhere else.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a problem that my website link leaked?
Usually not, because it was public. It matters if it links an anonymous account to your real identity.
What happens when an old domain expires?
Anyone can register it, and links to it from old profiles and posts will then send people wherever the new owner chooses.
Should I take my contact details off my website?
Use a contact form or a separate business email rather than listing your personal address and phone number.
Breaches that exposed this data
Android Forums: 2011-10-30, 745K accounts, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Homepage URLs, Instant messenger identities, IP addresses, Passwords
vBulletin: 2015-11-03, 519K accounts, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Homepage URLs, Instant messenger identities, IP addresses, Passwords
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.