Duolingo Data Breach
Status: Confirmed
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: Duolingo · Actor: Unknown · Source: DataBreach.com / ObscureIQ intelligence
Attack: Data Scraping via Automated scraping
Timeline: Breach (Jan, 2023) · Reported (Aug, 2023) · Leak (1/4/25)
Exposure: 2.7M+ records · Email, Name, Names, Spoken languages, Usernames
Status: Confirmed · Risk: Low (Credential reuse / phishing)
Summary
In August 2023, data scraped from Duolingo was widely distributed on a hacking forum. The information was obtained by exploiting a vulnerable API and had previously been available for sale in January 2023. This breach posed a risk to user privacy by linking private email addresses to public data attributes.
About Duolingo
Duolingo 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 Duolingo 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.
- Automated scraping
Breach Exploitation Status
Low
Status
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
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 2.7M+ records has been identified in breach intelligence sources.
- The data is indexed and searchable across breach notification platforms.
Impact
This breach carries low risk due to the nature of exposed data fields and the scale of affected records.
- Targeted phishing referencing Duolingo accounts or services
- 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.
Duolingo account updates
Password reset requests
Verify directly through official channels.
Email compromise is often the first pivot point.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Jan, 2023, Duolingo experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 2.7M+ records containing personal information.
The exposed data includes Email, Name, Names, Spoken languages, Usernames.
Approximately 2.7M+ 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 reported across breach-sharing channels. Downstream exploitation risk exists based on the nature of the exposed fields.
Rotate passwords associated with Duolingo, enable multi-factor authentication on email and financial accounts, and monitor for suspicious activity.
Protect Yourself
Check If You’re Affected
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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.
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 Duolingo
- Or simply concerned about credential reuse
We can confirm whether your information is circulating and evaluate downstream threat vectors.