17173.0 2011 Data Breach
ObscureIQ Breach Intelligence
Low SeverityWebsite / service breach
17173 Chinese Gaming News & Community Portal Breach (2011): 18 Million User Accounts Exposed :: Authenticity Unverified
Chinese gaming news and community porta1
Verified by ObscureIQ Intelligence
23/100Breach Risk Index
5Data Value
25Market Recency
584dSince Breach
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: 17173.0 · Actor: Unknown · Sources: 6 references
Attack: Unknown
Profile: Media Platform · Gaming media and player community services · Gaming news and community portal · China
Timeline: Breach (2011-12-28) · Indexed (Dec 01, 2024) · Year (2011)
Exposure: 18.2M records · 3 fields: Email Address, Password, Username
Status: Disputed
Executive Summary
In late 2011, the Chinese gaming portal 17173 (17173.com) was among a wave of Chinese site breaches that exposed user data including usernames, email addresses, and salted MD5 password hashes. Have I Been Pwned lists it as unverified. This record reflects ~18.2 million records; some reporting cites ~7.5 million for 17173 specifically (counts vary across the 2011 Chinese breach wave). The data enables credential stuffing.
ObscureIQ assessment: Risk is moderate and mostly tied to credential abuse, phishing, and account compromise. The data is generally less inherently sensitive than healthcare or dating records, but large gaming portals can still expose usernames, emails, behavioral signals, and long-lived credentials that are often reused elsewhere.
Breach Impact
The exposure of usernames, emails, and salted MD5 passwords enables credential-stuffing and account-takeover where users reused passwords, plus targeted phishing. Salted MD5 offers limited protection against cracking. Authenticity is unverified.
About 17173.0
17173 (17173.com) is one of China's largest gaming news, media, and community portals (part of the Sohu/Changyou group), covering online games with news, forums, and player services.
Why They Hold Your Data
* Chinese gaming media and community portal combining gaming news, account-based community participation, and player-facing content. The likely exposure context includes user accounts, forum or portal activity, and general gaming-community engagement data.
Recent Developments
The 17173 credential dataset dates to the late-2011 wave of Chinese portal breaches (which also hit CSDN, 7k7k, and others). Have I Been Pwned lists it as "unverified" because Chinese breaches of that era are hard to confirm, though the data appears legitimate.
Data Points Exposed
3 verified field types
Email Address
Password Critical
Username
Field names are shown in full for clarity and search visibility. Canonical machine keys are emitted only in this page’s structured data.
Exploitation & Downstream Threats
Threat Activity:High
Primary downstream threats:
- Credential stuffing and account takeover against reused passwords (salted MD5)
- Targeted phishing using exposed emails
Threat vectors:
- Credential stuffing & account takeover
- Password hash cracking (salted MD5)
- Phishing & social engineering
Recommended Actions
If you believe your information may be included:
Change Reused Passwords
Update this account and anywhere you reused the password; use a manager.
Enable MFA Everywhere
Turn on multi-factor authentication on email first, then financial accounts.
Report & Recover
If you spot misuse, start an official recovery plan and report fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the 17173.0 breach?▾
In late 2011, the Chinese gaming portal 17173 (17173.com) was among a wave of Chinese site breaches that exposed user data including usernames, email addresses, and salted MD5 password hashes. Have I Been Pwned lists it as unverified. This record reflects ~18.2 million records; some reporting cites…
What data was exposed?▾
Verified fields include Email Address, Password, Username.
What should I do if I was affected?▾
Change reused passwords, enable MFA, and (if identity or financial data is involved) freeze your credit and monitor your accounts.
Sources & References
Every claim on this page is traceable. This breach draws on:
Breach Index
Breach Index
Cross-source
9ghz
Cross-source
BreachForums_Official_Index
Cross-source
Keeper
ObscureIQ Intelligence
ObscureIQ proprietary analysis
Protect Yourself
Check If You're Affected
Enter your email to check whether your data appears in this breach. We’ll send a 6-digit code to confirm it’s your address.
Get Free Breach Alerts
Be the first to know when new breaches are disclosed. Free forever — confirm your email with a 6-digit code.
High-Risk? Get an Exposure Audit
Executives, public figures, and high-visibility operators can receive tailored exposure intelligence and hardening guidance.
Request Consultation