Aimware aimware.net Aimware data breach: what happened and what to do
In 2019, the video game cheats site Aimware was breached, exposing about 305,000 accounts: email and IP addresses, usernames, private messages, website activity and passwords stored as salted MD5 hashes. Have I Been Pwned added it in May 2022.
View all 13,177 breaches- Breach date
- 28 Apr 2019
- Affected
- 305,470
- Data exposed
- Email addresses, IP addresses, Passwords, Private messages, Usernames, Website activity
- Verified
- Yes
- Last updated
Source: Have I Been Pwned (CC BY 4.0)
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
What happened
Aimware sells cheats for video games and runs a forum for its subscribers. In 2019 the site was breached, and Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) added the data to its database on 2 May 2022. HIBP counts 305,470 accounts.
What was exposed
HIBP lists email addresses, IP addresses, usernames, private messages, website activity and passwords. Forum posts were part of the data too. The passwords were stored as salted MD5 hashes. MD5 is a fast, old hashing method, so a determined attacker can crack many of the weaker passwords from a leak like this.
What that lets someone do
The biggest risk is reuse. If you used your Aimware password anywhere else, someone holding the cracked list can try it on other sites. That's called credential stuffing, and it works because so many people reuse passwords. Your email address also makes you a target for phishing that mentions gaming or cheat software, and private messages can be embarrassing even when they aren't dangerous.
What Aimware said
HIBP's entry doesn't link to a statement from Aimware. The details here come from HIBP's entry, which marks the breach as verified.
Was it you?
If you ever signed up with an email address at this site, assume it's in the data. Search your address on HIBP or run a Serus scan to see this and other breaches.
Sources checked: haveibeenpwned.com, consumer.ftc.gov
Last verified against the official page:
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Change the password anywhere you reused it
The passwords were stored as salted MD5 hashes, and hashes like that can be cracked. If your Aimware password is also your password somewhere else, change it on those sites now. Use a different password on every account, ideally from a password manager.
- 2
Turn on two-factor login
Two-factor authentication means a stolen password alone doesn't get anyone into your email, bank or shopping accounts. Start with your email, since it resets everything else.
- 3
Expect phishing that mentions the breach
Your email address was exposed, so scammers can write to you as if they know you. Don't click links in unexpected messages. Go to the site yourself instead.
- 4
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free Serus scan to see which breaches your email address or phone number appears in. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you when something new turns up. It can't remove data that has already leaked, so the steps above are still the fix.
Timeline
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The breach happened
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Added to Have I Been Pwned
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Aimware breach?
If you had an Aimware account in 2019, probably. Have I Been Pwned lists 305,470 accounts, and you can search your email address there to confirm.
What was exposed in the Aimware breach?
Email addresses, IP addresses, usernames, private messages, website activity and passwords stored as salted MD5 hashes.
Should I change my password after the Aimware breach?
Yes, if you reused it. Change it on every site that shares it and turn on two-factor login where you can. The FTC gives the same advice after any breach that includes passwords.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
