In what has become the largest data breach at X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, over 200 million user accounts have been compromised, marking a significant security lapse under the stewardship of Elon Musk. The breach, first uncovered by cybersecurity firm SafetyDetectives, exposes a staggering amount of user information that could potentially be leveraged for malicious activities.The breach, traced back to a post on the notorious BreachForums hacking message board, raises further questions about X’s data security policies and its ability to safeguard user information after a series of previous incidents.The latest breach was discovered after a user known as ThinkingOne uploaded a massive 34 GB CSV file on BreachForums, a site infamous for the exchange of stolen data. The file, containing 201 million data entries, reportedly includes metadata from active X users.While the leak does not contain sensitive information such as passwords or financial details, it does include account creation dates, geographical locations, display names, post counts, and other potentially exploitable details.SafetyDetectives, the cybersecurity team that investigated the breach, confirmed that the data has been verified through a sample, though the exact source of the leak remains unclear. Interestingly, the 2025 leak appears to be a compilation of two separate data breaches—one from 2023 and another from 2025.The more recent data was cross-referenced with the January 2023 breach that involved the exposure of 209 million email addresses. As a result, the total number of exposed records has now surpassed 400 million, with email addresses included in some instances.The 2025 breach is not an isolated incident but rather a continuation of a series of security lapses at X. The origins of this latest leak can be traced back to a vulnerability discovered by X’s bug bounty program in January 2022.The flaw, which allowed hackers to link email addresses or phone numbers with user accounts, was left unaddressed until it was exploited in the wild. By the time the vulnerability was fixed, malicious actors had already started selling large datasets of user information.According to reports, a significant portion of the stolen data was later sold on dark web marketplaces, including sensitive user information such as email addresses and phone numbers. By mid-2022, the leaked datasets had grown to massive proportions, with 400 million email addresses exposed.These vulnerabilities, coupled with insufficient security measures, created a fertile ground for subsequent breaches, with hackers continuously targeting the platform’s vast user base.The breach that came to light in January 2023 involved the leak of 209 million email addresses tied to X accounts. At the time, X dismissed claims that the incident was a result of an internal vulnerability, stating that their systems had not been exploited.However, the company later acknowledged that the underlying issue stemmed from a coding error that occurred in a June 2022 update. This error allowed anyone to link an email address or phone number to a user’s account, leaving millions of accounts vulnerable to exposure.In response to these breaches, X made a public statement emphasizing their commitment to user privacy and the protection of personal data. However, the series of security lapses have raised concerns about the platform’s ability to manage sensitive information, particularly after Elon Musk’s 2022 acquisition, which saw significant layoffs and restructuring within the company.Fast forward to 2025, and the situation has only worsened. The breach uncovered by ThinkingOne involves a more recent leak that appears to be tied to both the 2023 and 2025 breaches.This new leak includes a massive file with metadata for 201 million active users, many of whom had already been impacted by the 2023 exposure. While the data does not contain highly sensitive information like passwords or financial details, it still includes enough personal data—such as full names, profile images, follower counts, and account activity data—to fuel phishing campaigns and social engineering attacks. While the latest breach does not appear to expose passwords or financial information, the leaked data still presents a significant risk to users. The metadata contained in the breach could be used to craft highly targeted phishing and social engineering attacks.Cybercriminals could exploit the exposed information, including email addresses, user locations, and account details, to deceive users into revealing sensitive personal information or clicking on malicious linksMoreover, the exposure of email addresses and phone numbers, combined with other metadata, can lead to an increased risk of spam, identity theft, and other forms of cybercrime. Hackers can use this information to build more personalized attacks, making it harder for users to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent communications.SafetyDetectives has suggested that the breach could have originated from a disgruntled employee, potentially taking advantage of X’s chaotic restructuring and mass layoffs following Elon Musk’s acquisition in 2022. This theory is supported by reports from the UK-based tech site Computing.co.uk, which speculated that an insider may have stolen data from 2.87 billion user profiles during this period of internal turmoil.The possibility of insider involvement adds another layer of complexity to an already dire situation. If indeed an employee was behind the theft, it underscores the challenges faced by X in securing its internal data and maintaining control over sensitive user information.With millions of user accounts exposed across multiple breaches, X’s ability to safeguard user data is under increasing scrutiny. The company has repeatedly claimed that it takes privacy and security seriously, but the frequency and scale of these breaches suggest otherwise. Following the acquisition by Elon Musk, X has undergone significant changes, including layoffs, changes in corporate culture, and a shift in priorities.However, these internal changes have not translated into stronger data protection measures.The company’s response to previous breaches has been tepid at best. After the 2022 breach, X issued a lengthy public statement assuring users that it had taken corrective actions. However, these efforts have not been enough to prevent subsequent breaches, raising questions about the platform’s commitment to privacy and security.The latest data breach at X is a wake-up call for the platform, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in its systems and casting doubt on its ability to protect user data effectively. With more than 200 million user accounts exposed, X is facing a public relations crisis and growing concerns about its long-term viability as a secure platform.As data breaches become an increasingly common threat, it is imperative that X takes immediate and meaningful steps to address these security gaps and rebuild user trust. Until then, users may continue to be at risk of further cyberattacks and identity theft, making it more important than ever for social media platforms to prioritize security over speed and cost-cutting measures.
BREAKING NEWS: The most serious data breach to hit X: 200,000,000 user records exposed, along with 2,800,000,000 Twitter IDs. Public outrage grows, calling for accountability.
