A threat actor using the alias Lovely recently posted a database on multiple hacking forums, claiming to have successfully breached the systems of media giant Condé Nast. The initial leak focused on WIRED magazine, offering access to the information for a nominal fee in forum credits. Along with the data, the hacker posted a message accusing the company of negligence, stating that it took an entire month of reporting vulnerabilities before any action was taken to secure the websites.
The hacker suggests that this initial release is only a fraction of the stolen material, threatening to expose up to 40 million additional records linked to other major properties. Based on abbreviations provided in the forum posts, the affected brands likely include high-profile titles such as The New Yorker, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Architectural Digest. This broader threat indicates a significant security lapse across the parent company's digital infrastructure rather than an isolated incident involving a single magazine.
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While Condé Nast has not officially confirmed the occurrence of a data breach, external researchers have begun verifying the claims. An analysis of the leaked files by BleepingComputer successfully validated several records as belonging to legitimate WIRED subscribers. The dataset appears to be extensive, containing over 2.3 million unique email addresses with timestamps indicating that the data spans nearly three decades, from the mid-nineties through September 2025.
The compromised information includes a variety of personal details, though the completeness of each entry varies. Subscribers’ internal identification numbers and email addresses are the primary data points, but many records also feature names, physical addresses, phone numbers, and birth dates. Additionally, the leak contains technical metadata such as account creation dates, last session activity, and specific WIRED usernames, which could potentially be used for targeted phishing or further identity theft.
As the situation develops, the hacker continues to distribute the data across various platforms, ensuring the archive remains accessible to other malicious actors. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with long-term data retention, as the leaked records involve information from users who may have subscribed decades ago. For now, millions of Condé Nast customers face the possibility that their personal information has been permanently exposed to the public domain.
Source: Hacker Claims To Leak WIRED Database Exposing 2 .3Million Records