Identification Images of Seventy Thousand Members Potentially Were Leaked, Discord Says
Discord, a messaging platform favored among video game players, reports that official ID photos of around 70,000 users may have been exposed in the wake of a digital security breach.
External Provider Compromised
The application, which maintains in excess of 200 million users worldwide, states that digital intruders had compromised a firm that was responsible for authenticating the ages of its members but Discord's own systems was not compromised.
Members can upload identification images to verify their age on Discord - a communication platform for gamers to chat and distribute materials with other members in the gaming community.
Scope of Compromised Data
The leaked data potentially contains personal information, fragmentary financial data and messages that were shared with Discord's customer service agents.
Entire financial data remained secure, passwords, or correspondence and platform usage outside of interactions with Discord's service team were compromised, the firm confirmed.
Remedial Steps
All impacted users have been contacted and Discord is collaborating with authorities to probe the situation, it added.
The platform said it has revoked the customer support provider's access to the platform that was compromised in the attack. Discord chose not to specify the external provider compromised.
Conflicting Claims
Some digital analysts have asserted that the data breach was bigger than Discord has acknowledged.
A official for Discord commented that those claims are incorrect and "part of an attempt to demand money" from the company.
"We refuse to compensate those accountable for their unauthorized deeds," the representative continued.
Importance of Individual Details
Digital thieves often pursue personal data, which can command a high price on the black market for use in fraudulent schemes.
Information like complete identities and official ID numbers is especially valuable because, unlike credit card details, it usually persists unaltered across extended periods.
Earlier Protection Initiatives
Discord has previously strengthened its user authentication protocols in reaction to concerns that some servers on the service were being employed to share adult content and radical materials.
- About 70,000 users impacted
- Third-party age verification firm compromised
- Incomplete payment information potentially exposed
- Help desk messages potentially were obtained
- Law enforcement involved in examination
