MindJolt mindjolt.com MindJolt data breach: what happened and what to do
In March 2019, online gaming site MindJolt was breached. About 28 million email addresses leaked with names and dates of birth. No passwords were exposed.
View all 13,115 breaches- Breach date
- 18 Mar 2019
- Affected
- 28,364,826
- Data exposed
- Dates of birth, Email addresses, Names
- Verified
- Yes
- Last updated
Source: Have I Been Pwned (CC BY 4.0)
What happened
In March 2019, the online gaming website MindJolt suffered a data breach that exposed 28 million unique email addresses, according to Have I Been Pwned.
What was exposed
The data covers about 28.4 million email addresses, names and dates of birth. Have I Been Pwned notes that no passwords were included.
What it means for you
With no passwords in the leak, there is nothing to reset on MindJolt for this incident. The risk is phishing: a real name, email address and birth date make a message look like it knows you. The birth date also can't be changed, and criminals can combine it with other leaked data to guess security answers.
Can the data be taken down?
No. Once a breach is copied and shared, nobody can pull it back, and the company can't either. What you control is how useful the data is to criminals: unique passwords, two-factor login and skepticism toward messages that quote your details. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web for your email and phone and alerts you when your details appear in a new leak.
What to do
Expect scam emails that use your name, don't click links in unexpected messages, and keep an eye on the accounts that use your birth date for verification.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Expect phishing that fits the data
Expect emails that use your name and mention games or your account. Don't click links in unexpected messages.
- 2
Protect your identity data
A leaked date of birth can't be changed. Be wary of anyone who quotes it back to you, and consider a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion if you want extra protection.
- 3
Use unique passwords anyway
No passwords leaked here, but a password manager and two-factor login limit the damage from every other breach.
- 4
Check which other breaches include you
Run a free Serus scan to see whether your email or phone number appears in this and other breaches. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you when your details show up again.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the MindJolt breach?
Check your email on Have I Been Pwned or run a free Serus scan. If you had a MindJolt account before 2019, assume yes.
What was exposed?
Email addresses, names and dates of birth. Have I Been Pwned lists no passwords.
Should I change my password?
No MindJolt passwords leaked, but change it anywhere you reused it if you want to be safe.
Sources
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