ShareThis.com July 2018 Data Breach: What Was Exposed and What Happened?

In July 2018, ShareThis, a popular platform that enabled users to easily share content across social media and bookmarking sites, suffered a data breach that exposed the details of over 41 million users. The breach compromised a wide range of personal data including full names, usernames, email addresses, hashed passwords, complete birthdates, and in some instances, additional social information tied to user accounts. While the breach occurred in summer 2018, it didn't become widely known until the compromised data emerged for sale on a dark web marketplace in 2019. Once the information began circulating more broadly, the scope and specifics of the breach became clear, highlighting the critical importance of personal data protection on social platforms.

What Happened in the ShareThis.com Breach?

The ShareThis.com breach began in July 2018 when threat actors gained unauthorized access to the platform’s user database. The attackers managed to exfiltrate sensitive user data, including identifiable information and account credentials. The breach came to broader public awareness months later, when the stolen data set surfaced on underground forums and dark web markets, drawing new attention to the compromised information and its potential misuse across other services.

Scope of the Data Exposed

Over 41 million user records were affected in this breach. Exposed data included users’ full names, usernames chosen for the platform, registered email addresses, full birthdates, hashed account passwords, and in select cases, additional social data linked through the platform’s services. This combination of information could enable malicious actors to attempt identity theft or social engineering against affected individuals.

Timeline of the ShareThis Breach

• July 2018: The initial compromise of ShareThis.com’s user database occurred, and attackers accessed millions of user records.
• 2019: The breached data set was discovered for sale on a dark web marketplace, bringing the scope of the incident to light as the information began to circulate more widely among cybercriminal communities.

Frequently Asked Questions about the ShareThis Data Breach

How many users were affected in the ShareThis.com breach?

The breach impacted over 41 million ShareThis users, with their personal details and account information exposed.

What kind of data was leaked in the ShareThis breach?

Exposed data included full names, usernames, email addresses, hashed passwords, birthdates, and in some cases, social information tied to user accounts on ShareThis.

When did the ShareThis data breach happen?

The breach took place in July 2018, although the exposed information became publicly known in 2019 when it surfaced on a dark web marketplace.

How did the breach become publicly known?

The compromised data was discovered being offered for sale on a dark web forum in 2019, which led to broader awareness of the breach and more detailed analysis of the information that had been exposed.

How can I check if I'm in the ShareThis breach?

You can check if your information was part of the ShareThis breach by utilizing the DeHashed search engine.