START 2021 Data Breach
ObscureIQ Breach Intelligence
Low SeverityWebsite / service breach
START Russian Video Streaming Service Breach (2021, Disclosed 2022): 7.5 Million User Accounts Including Passwords Exposed
Russian subscription video streaming service.
Verified by ObscureIQ Intelligence
8/100Breach Risk Index
3Data Value
10Market Recency
1408dSince Breach
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: START · Actor: Unknown · Sources: 4 references
Attack: Unknown
Profile: Platform · Subscription video streaming and digital entertainment · Streaming service · Russia
Timeline: Breach (2021-06-01) · Indexed (Aug 30, 2022) · Year (2021)
Exposure: 7.5M records · 4 fields: Email Address, Full Name, Geographic Location, Password
Status: Confirmed
Executive Summary
In August 2022, an attack on the Russian streaming service START exposed roughly 44 million records covering about 7.4 million unique email addresses, with the data dating to 2021. Exposed information included usernames, unsalted MD5 password hashes, IP addresses, country of registration, subscription start and end dates, and last-login details. The company stated payment information was not compromised.
ObscureIQ assessment: Exposure enables account takeover, phishing, and behavioral profiling. Viewing and subscription history may also reveal routines, family structure, and content preferences.
Breach Impact
Unsalted MD5 hashes are readily cracked, exposing reused credentials to stuffing attacks, while subscription and login metadata support account profiling and targeted phishing.
About START
START is a Russian subscription video-on-demand streaming platform offering original series and films to a primarily Russian-speaking audience.
Why They Hold Your Data
Streaming platforms collect user identity, subscription records, payment-adjacent data, device identifiers, viewing history, and household-linked activity tied to entertainment consumption.
Recent Developments
START publicly confirmed the incident and attributed it to an attack on its systems, stating that payment data was not affected.
Data Points Exposed
4 verified field types
Email Address
Full Name High
Geographic Location
Password Critical
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:Moderate
Primary downstream threats:
- Credential stuffing against reused passwords across other platforms
- Targeted phishing campaigns using exposed email addresses
- Doxxing risk from physical address exposure
Threat vectors:
- Phishing, credential stuffing & account takeover
- Name-based social engineering
- Pattern-of-life analysis & physical surveillance
- Credential stuffing & account takeover
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 START breach?▾
In August 2022, an attack on the Russian streaming service START exposed roughly 44 million records covering about 7.4 million unique email addresses, with the data dating to 2021. Exposed information included usernames, unsalted MD5 password hashes, IP addresses, country of registration,…
What data was exposed?▾
Verified fields include Email Address, Full Name, Geographic Location, Password.
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
Cross-source
9ghz
Cross-source
Dehashed
ObscureIQ Intelligence
ObscureIQ proprietary analysis
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