Impact & Downstream Threats
This breach carries high risk due to the nature of exposed data fields and the scale of affected records.
- Credential stuffing against reused passwords across other platforms
- Targeted phishing campaigns using exposed email addresses
Breach Intelligence
Executive Summary
In approximately December 2019, an alleged data breach of the lawyer directory service Avvo was published to an online hacking forum and used in an extortion scam (it's possible the exposure dates back earlier than that). The data contained 4.1M unique email addresses alongside SHA-1 hashes, most likely representing user passwords. Multiple attempts at contacting Avvo over the course of a week were unsuccessful and the authenticity of the data was eventually verified with common Avvo and HIBP subscribers.
About Avvo
Online legal services marketplace.
Data Points Exposed
Dark Web Verification
Status: Confirmed
- Dataset containing approximately 4.1M records identified in breach intelligence sources.
- The data is indexed and searchable across breach notification platforms.
Recommended Actions
⚠️ Do not assume this is low sensitivity.
Non-clients may request a breach impact review.
Frequently Asked Questions
In December 2019, Avvo experienced a data breach that exposed approximately 4.1M records containing personal information.
The exposed data includes fields such as email address, password.
Approximately 4.1M records were affected based on current breach intelligence.
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- A public-facing individual
- A high-profile executive
- A customer of Avvo
- Or concerned about credential reuse
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