Cit0day Data Breach
Status: Confirmed
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: Cit0day · Actor: Unknown · Source: DataBreach.com / ObscureIQ intelligence
Attack: Phishing via Compromised credentials
Timeline: Breach (Nov, 2020) · Reported (Nov, 2020) · Leak (12/1/24)
Exposure: 226.9M+ records · Email, Password, Passwords
Status: Confirmed · Risk: Moderate (Account takeover)
Summary
In November 2020 a 120 GB archive nick-named Cit0day —containing credential dumps from more than 23 000 hacked websites —was posted on several Russian-language hacking forums and mirrored on RaidForums within hours. The cache split into 23 618 compressed files was described as a full backup of Cit0day.in a now-defunct credential-selling portal that had reportedly been seized by U.S. law-enforcement two months earlier. Researchers who grabbed the torrent discovered roughly 195 million unique email-and-password pairs amassed over a decade. Security analysts noted the trove blended well-known breaches with hundreds of previously unreported compromises ; in many cases the files still held clear-text passwords or unsalted MD5 and SHA-1 hashes. Preliminary reviews by Authlogics and Have I Been Pwned confirmed a high hit-rate when testing random samples indicating the data was largely authentic even though each individual breach remains formally “unverified.” Cit0day’s operators had run a subscription model—customers paid about US $1.50 per day for on-demand credential look-ups—so the public leak effectively made a commercial underground service free dramatically lowering the barrier for credential-stuffing and account-takeover attacks. Threat-intel firm Flare reported that 57 percent of the leaked logins used popular free-mail domains such as Gmail Hotmail and Yahoo making them attractive targets for phishing and business-email compromise.
About Cit0day
Cit0day 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 Cit0day 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.
- Compromised credentials
Breach Exploitation Status
Moderate
Status
Detected
Detected
Possible
Unknown
Unknown
1–3 years
Email addresses and usernames persist but credentials may rotate. Phishing risk remains elevated during this window.
Data Points Exposed
Dark Web Verification
Status: Confirmed
- Dataset containing approximately 226.9M+ 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.
- Targeted phishing referencing Cit0day accounts or services
- Credential stuffing against accounts sharing the same password
- Data broker enrichment and resale
Recommendations for Impacted Individuals
If you believe your information may be included:
Non-clients may request a breach impact review.
Cit0day account updates
Password reset requests
Verify directly through official channels.
Email compromise is often the first pivot point.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Nov, 2020, Cit0day experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 226.9M+ records containing personal information.
The exposed data includes Email, Password, Passwords.
Approximately 226.9M+ records were affected based on current breach intelligence.
Yes. This breach is treated as confirmed based on data observed in breach intelligence platforms.
Data circulation has been detected across breach-sharing channels. Downstream exploitation risk exists based on the nature of the exposed fields.
Rotate passwords associated with Cit0day, enable multi-factor authentication on email and financial accounts, and monitor for suspicious activity.
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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.
- A public-facing individual
- A high-profile executive
- A customer of Cit0day
- Or simply concerned about credential reuse
We can confirm whether your information is circulating and evaluate downstream threat vectors.