People Data Labs Data Breach
Status: Confirmed
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: People Data Labs · Actor: Unknown · Source: Have I Been Pwned / ObscureIQ intelligence
Attack: Data Exfiltration via Under investigation
Timeline: Breach (Oct, 2019) · Reported (Nov, 2019) · Leak (11/22/19)
Exposure: 622.2M+ records · Email, Employers, Geographic locations, Job titles, Names, Phone numbers, Social media profiles
Status: Confirmed · Risk: Low (Phishing / SIM swap)
Summary
In October 2019 security researchers Vinny Troia and Bob Diachenko identified an unprotected Elasticsearch server holding 1.2 billion records of personal data. The exposed data included an index indicating it was sourced from data enrichment company People Data Labs (PDL) and contained 622 million unique email addresses. The server was not owned by PDL and it’s believed a customer failed to properly secure the database. Exposed information included email addresses phone numbers, social media profiles and job history data.
About People Data Labs
People Data Labs 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 People Data Labs 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
Possible
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 622.2M+ 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 People Data Labs accounts or services
- SIM-swap attempts where phone numbers are present
- 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.
People Data Labs account updates
Password reset requests
Verify directly through official channels.
Email compromise is often the first pivot point.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Oct, 2019, People Data Labs experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 622.2M+ records containing personal information.
The exposed data includes Email, Employers, Geographic locations, Job titles, Names, Phone numbers, Social media profiles.
Approximately 622.2M+ 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 People Data Labs, 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.
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 People Data Labs
- Or simply concerned about credential reuse
We can confirm whether your information is circulating and evaluate downstream threat vectors.