Shadow shadow.tech Shadow data breach: what happened and what to do
In September 2023 the cloud gaming provider Shadow suffered a data breach. Have I Been Pwned lists 543,295 accounts, with email and physical addresses, names and dates of birth exposed.
View all 13,115 breaches- Breach date
- 28 Sept 2023
- Affected
- 543,295
- Data exposed
- Dates of birth, Email addresses, Names, Physical addresses
- Verified
- Yes
- Last updated
Source: Have I Been Pwned (CC BY 4.0)
Shadow is a French cloud gaming and cloud PC provider. A breach of its customer data dates to 28 September 2023 and was added to Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) on 11 August 2024.
What happened
Shadow emailed customers after a social engineering attack, according to TechCrunch. The company said the attack began on Discord with malware disguised as a game, which stole a session cookie that gave the attacker access to a management tool. BleepingComputer reported that a hacker was trying to sell the stolen data. Shadow said no passwords or sensitive banking data were compromised.
What was exposed
HIBP lists 543,295 accounts with dates of birth, email addresses, names and physical addresses. Press coverage also mentions billing addresses and card expiry dates.
A name, date of birth and home address are the core of identity fraud, and they make phishing from "Shadow support" look real. Gamers are a frequent target of fake account-recovery messages.
What to do
Turn on two-factor login on your Shadow account, and be wary of emails that appear to come from Shadow. Shadow itself recommended both. Watch for new accounts or credit applications in your name.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Turn on two-factor login
Use an authenticator app on your Shadow account and on your email. Shadow recommended enabling multi-factor authentication after the incident.
- 2
Expect phishing that mentions the breach
Treat unexpected emails, texts and calls as suspect, especially ones that name the company or offer help with the breach. Don't click links in them; go to the company's site yourself.
- 3
Watch for identity fraud
A name, date of birth and address can be used to open accounts. Consider a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and check your credit reports for accounts you don't recognize.
- 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 in a new leak.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Shadow breach?
Look up your email on Have I Been Pwned, or run a free Serus scan. HIBP lists 543,295 accounts.
What was exposed?
Email addresses, names, physical addresses and dates of birth, according to HIBP.
Were passwords exposed?
Shadow said no passwords or sensitive banking data were compromised. HIBP lists none.
Should I change my password?
It's a good habit, especially if you reuse it. Turn on two-factor login too.
Sources
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