ELEVATED RISK BREACH

ai.type Data Breach


Status: Confirmed

72.7M+Records
Dec, 2017Breach
12/1/24Data Posted
7/10Severity
ModerateThreat Level

Breach Intelligence Summary


Entity: ai.type · Actor: Unknown · Source: DataBreach.com / ObscureIQ intelligence

Attack: Data Exfiltration via Under investigation

Timeline: Breach (Dec, 2017) · Reported (Dec, 2017) · Leak (12/1/24)

Exposure: 72.7M+ records · Address book contacts, Apps installed on devices, Cellular network names, Dates of birth, Device information, Email, Genders, Geographic locations, IMEI numbers, IMSI numbers, IP Address, IP addresses, Names, Phone numbers, Profile photos, Social media profiles

Status: Confirmed · Risk: Moderate (Phishing / SIM swap)

Summary

In December 2017 the virtual keyboard application ai.type was found to have left a huge amount of data publicly facing in an unsecured MongoDB instance. Discovered by researchers at The Kromtech Security Center the 577GB data set included extensive personal information including over 20 million unique email addresses, social media profiles and address book contacts. The email addresses alone were provided to HIBP to enable impacted users to assess their exposure.

About ai.type

ai.type is the organization affected by this breach. User data may have been generated through account creation, service usage, or business operations.

If you have interacted with ai.type in any capacity, your data may be included in this breach.

Threat Actor: Unknown

The threat actor responsible for this breach has not been publicly identified or confirmed at this time.

Reported or suspected access method:
  • Under investigation

Breach Exploitation Status

Threat Activity:
Moderate
Signal
Status
Dark web marketplace listings
Detected
Credential stuffing list overlap
Possible
Phishing campaign relevance
Possible
Ransomware affiliate crossover
Unknown
Law enforcement investigation visibility
Unknown

Data Longevity:
5+ years (high persistence)

Dates of birth are permanent and addresses change slowly. Combined with other fields, this data sustains long-tail targeting risk.

Data Points Exposed

Data observed in the leaked dataset:
Address book contacts
Apps installed on devices
Cellular network names
Dates of birth
Device information
Email
Genders
Geographic locations
IMEI numbers
IMSI numbers
IP Address
IP addresses
Names
Phone numbers
Profile photos
Social media profiles
Not confirmed in dataset:
Passwords (plaintext)
Social Security Numbers
Payment card data

Dark Web Verification

Status: Confirmed

  • Dataset containing approximately 72.7M+ records has been identified in breach intelligence sources.
  • The data is indexed and searchable across breach notification platforms.

Impact

This breach carries moderate risk due to the nature of exposed data fields and the scale of affected records.

Primary downstream threats include:
  • Targeted phishing referencing ai.type accounts or services
  • SIM-swap attempts where phone numbers are present
  • Physical mail scams and address-based identity verification fraud
  • Age/DOB used to bypass identity verification questions
  • Data broker enrichment and resale

Recommendations for Impacted Individuals

If you believe your information may be included:

Check Your Exposure
If you are an ObscureIQ client, this breach has been indexed into your exposure profile.
Non-clients may request a breach impact review.
Expect Targeted Phishing
Watch for messages referencing:
ai.type account updates
Password reset requests
Verify directly through official channels.
Secure Your Email and MFA
Enable MFA immediately on email first, then financial platforms.
Email compromise is often the first pivot point.
Rotate Reused Passwords
Change any credentials shared with your ai.type account across other services.
Monitor Financial Accounts
Monitor accounts associated with your exposed email for unauthorized activity.
Suppress Personal Data
Remove exposed addresses, phone numbers, and enrichment data from broker networks and search engines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in the ai.type data breach?

In Dec, 2017, ai.type experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 72.7M+ records containing personal information.

What data was exposed in the ai.type breach?

The exposed data includes Address book contacts, Apps installed on devices, Cellular network names, Dates of birth, Device information, Email, Genders, Geographic locations, IMEI numbers, IMSI numbers, IP Address, IP addresses, Names, Phone numbers, Profile photos, Social media profiles.

How many records were affected in the ai.type breach?

Approximately 72.7M+ records were affected based on current breach intelligence.

Is the ai.type breach confirmed?

Yes. This breach is treated as confirmed based on data observed in breach intelligence platforms.

Is the ai.type breach data being used by criminals?

Data circulation has been detected across breach-sharing channels. Downstream exploitation risk exists based on the nature of the exposed fields.

What should I do if I was affected by the ai.type breach?

Rotate passwords associated with ai.type, enable multi-factor authentication on email and financial accounts, and monitor for suspicious activity.

Protect Yourself

Check If You’re Affected

Enter your email to check if your data appears in this breach.

Get Free Breach Alerts

Be the first to know when new breaches are disclosed. Free forever.

High-Risk? Get an Exposure Audit

Executives, public figures, and high-net-worth individuals face elevated risk. Our team provides full-spectrum exposure audits and threat monitoring.

Request Consultation

Corporate Accountability

Organizations that collect personal data have a duty to implement reasonable safeguards and to notify affected individuals when breaches occur.

Scope assessments may evolve as investigations continue. Users should not rely solely on early estimates when making risk decisions.

ObscureIQ Advisory

We combine proprietary dark web access with commercial and restricted breach intelligence to verify exposure and assess real-world risk.

If you are:
  • A public-facing individual
  • A high-profile executive
  • A customer of ai.type
  • Or simply concerned about credential reuse

We can confirm whether your information is circulating and evaluate downstream threat vectors.

Services
AuditsWipesThreat MonitoringTraining

Classification Tags

Data Exfiltration
Email
Phone
Address