Linux Forums 2018.0 Data Breach
ObscureIQ Breach Intelligence
Low SeverityWebsite / service breach
Linux Forums Open Source Community Breach (2018): 276K User Accounts Including Passwords Exposed
Technology discussion and device support.
Verified by ObscureIQ Intelligence
14/100Breach Risk Index
6Data Value
10Market Recency
2953dSince Breach
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: Linux Forums · Actor: Unknown · Sources: 3 references
Attack: Unknown
Profile: Platform · Technology discussion and device support · Linux enthusiast and support forum · Global
Timeline: Breach (2018-05-01) · Indexed (Jun 07, 2018) · Year (2018.0)
Exposure: 276K records · 4 fields: Email Address, IP Address, Password, Username
Status: Confirmed
Executive Summary
In May 2018, the Linux Forums website suffered a data breach exposing about 276,000 unique email addresses along with usernames, IP addresses, and passwords stored as salted MD5 hashes.
ObscureIQ assessment: Exposure enables phishing, account takeover, and targeting of technically skilled users. Discussion history may also reveal infrastructure roles, servers, or software preferences.
Breach Impact
Salted MD5 is crackable, exposing reused credentials to stuffing attacks.
About Linux Forums
Linux Forums was an online community forum for Linux users.
Why They Hold Your Data
Open-source and Linux support forums collect user accounts, emails, messages, technical discussion history, and community participation tied to operating-system use and administration.
Data Points Exposed
4 verified field types
Email Address
IP Address
Password Critical
Username
Field names are shown in full for clarity and search visibility. Canonical machine keys are emitted only in this page’s structured data.
Exploitation & Downstream Threats
Threat Activity:Low
Primary downstream threats:
- Credential stuffing against reused passwords across other platforms
- Targeted phishing campaigns using exposed email addresses
Threat vectors:
- Phishing, credential stuffing & account takeover
- Geolocation & account flagging
- Credential stuffing & account takeover
- Cross-platform tracking & credential stuffing
Recommended Actions
If you believe your information may be included:
Change Reused Passwords
Update this account and anywhere you reused the password; use a manager.
Enable MFA Everywhere
Turn on multi-factor authentication on email first, then financial accounts.
Report & Recover
If you spot misuse, start an official recovery plan and report fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Linux Forums breach?▾
In May 2018, the Linux Forums website suffered a data breach exposing about 276,000 unique email addresses along with usernames, IP addresses, and passwords stored as salted MD5 hashes.
What data was exposed?▾
Verified fields include Email Address, IP Address, Password, Username.
What should I do if I was affected?▾
Change reused passwords, enable MFA, and (if identity or financial data is involved) freeze your credit and monitor your accounts.
Sources & References
Every claim on this page is traceable. This breach draws on:
Breach Index
Cross-source
BreachForums_Official_Index
ObscureIQ Intelligence
ObscureIQ proprietary analysis
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