MDPI Data Breach
Status: Confirmed
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: MDPI · Actor: Unknown · Source: Have I Been Pwned / ObscureIQ intelligence
Attack: Data Exfiltration via Under investigation
Timeline: Breach (Aug, 2016) · Reported (Mar, 2018) · Leak (3/25/18)
Exposure: 845K+ records · Email, Email messages, IP addresses, Names
Status: Confirmed · Risk: Low (Credential reuse / phishing)
Summary
In August 2016 the Swiss scholarly open access publisher known as MDPI had 17.5GB of data obtained from an unprotected Mongo DB instance. The data contained email exchanges between MDPI and their authors and reviewers which included 845k unique email addresses. MDPI have confirmed that the system has since been protected and that no data of a sensitive nature was impacted. As such they concluded that notification to their subscribers was not necessary due to the fact that all their authors and reviewers are available online on their website.
About MDPI
MDPI 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 MDPI 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.
- Under investigation
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 845K+ 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 MDPI accounts or services
- 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:
Non-clients may request a breach impact review.
MDPI account updates
Password reset requests
Verify directly through official channels.
Email compromise is often the first pivot point.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Aug, 2016, MDPI experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 845K+ records containing personal information.
The exposed data includes Email, Email messages, IP addresses, Names.
Approximately 845K+ 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 MDPI, 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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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 MDPI
- Or simply concerned about credential reuse
We can confirm whether your information is circulating and evaluate downstream threat vectors.