ELEVATED RISK BREACH

CafePress Data Breach


Status: Confirmed

23.6M+Records
Feb, 2019Breach
12/1/24Data Posted
7/10Severity
ModerateThreat Level

Breach Intelligence Summary


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

Attack: Credential Compromise via Compromised credentials

Timeline: Breach (Feb, 2019) · Reported (Aug, 2019) · Leak (12/1/24)

Exposure: 23.6M+ records · Email, Home Address, Name, Names, Password, Passwords, Phone Number, Phone numbers, Physical addresses

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

Summary

CaféPress-the custom-merchandise marketplace acquired by Snapfish only months earlier-suffered a quiet but consequential intrusion in mid-February 2019 when attackers slipped past weak perimeter defenses and copied a user database containing roughly 23 million records. The cache which surfaced for sale on darknet forums that summer ultimately totaled 23 579 964 rows and dated back years of customer activity. Security researchers who analyzed the leak found that e-mail addresses full names home addresses and phone numbers were stored in plaintext while passwords were merely obscured with the long-deprecated unsalted SHA-1 hash. Even more troubling the dump included millions of unencrypted security questions and answers more than 180 000 Social Security numbers and tens of thousands of partial payment-card details-enough information to enable credential-stuffing identity-theft and socially engineered fraud at scale. CaféPress kept the incident under wraps for months quietly forcing password resets in late July but offering customers no explanation until after news outlets and the “Have I Been Pwned” service broke the story on 5 August 2019. The company’s belated notice minimized both the attack vector and the sensitivity of the stolen data a stance that drew sharp criticism from security professionals and privacy advocates. Regulators took a dim view of the delay and the underlying security lapses. In March 2022 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint alleging CaféPress had failed to employ reasonable safeguards ignored multiple warning signs of compromise and misrepresented its data-protection practices. The resulting consent order required the company’s former owner to pay $500 000 in consumer redress implement a comprehensive information-security program subject to biennial audits and purge unnecessary personal data retained in its systems. The FTC has since mailed more than 20 000 restitution checks to users whose Social Security numbers were exposed, underscoring regulators’ growing willingness to extract cash penalties-even for breaches that fall outside HIPAA or industry-specific statutes-when companies both neglect basic cyber-hygiene and stall on disclosure.

About CafePress

CafePress 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 CafePress 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:
  • Compromised credentials

Breach Exploitation Status

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

Data Longevity:
3–5 years

Phone numbers and addresses change over time but remain valid long enough for sustained exploitation campaigns.

Data Points Exposed

Data observed in the leaked dataset:
Email
Home Address
Name
Names
Password
Passwords
Phone Number
Phone numbers
Physical addresses
Not confirmed in dataset:
Social Security Numbers
Payment card data
Passport numbers

Dark Web Verification

Status: Confirmed

  • Dataset containing approximately 23.6M+ 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 CafePress accounts or services
  • Credential stuffing against accounts sharing the same password
  • SIM-swap attempts where phone numbers are present
  • Physical mail scams and address-based identity verification fraud
  • 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:
CafePress 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 CafePress 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 CafePress data breach?

In Feb, 2019, CafePress experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 23.6M+ records containing personal information.

What data was exposed in the CafePress breach?

The exposed data includes Email, Home Address, Name, Names, Password, Passwords, Phone Number, Phone numbers, Physical addresses.

How many records were affected in the CafePress breach?

Approximately 23.6M+ records were affected based on current breach intelligence.

Is the CafePress breach confirmed?

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

Is the CafePress 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 CafePress breach?

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

Protect Yourself

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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.

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

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

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Classification Tags

Credential Compromise
Passwords
Email
Phone
Address