IntelligenceX 2021 Data Breach
ObscureIQ Breach Intelligence
Low SeverityWebsite / service breach
IntelligenceX Open-Source Intelligence Paste Scrape (2021): 92 Million Indexed Email Addresses Exposed
Data indexing and intelligence search platform.
Verified by ObscureIQ Intelligence
23/100Breach Risk Index
5Data Value
25Market Recency
469dSince Breach
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: IntelligenceX · Actor: Unknown · Sources: 2 references
Attack: Unknown
Profile: Platform · Data indexing and search services · Open-source intelligence platform · Global
Timeline: Breach (2021-01-01) · Indexed (Jan 13, 2025) · Year (2021)
Exposure: 92.6M records · 1 fields: Email Address
Status: Reported
Executive Summary
Intelligence X, the investigative search and archival platform operating at intelx.io, was targeted by a scraping attack in approximately August 2021. An attacker harvested data from the platform's publicly indexed "Pastes" section by running systematic searches across common email domains and exporting the results. The scraped archive contained over 80,000 pastes drawn from pastebin.com, pastie.org, and skidpaste.org, yielding approximately 92.6 million records and 46 million unique email addresses. Intelligence X characterized the incident as scraping of publicly indexed content rather than a breach of its core systems. The exposed data consisted of email addresses only, many appearing within email and password combolists or small databases that had been posted to paste sites. No passwords or additional personal information were confirmed as part of the scraped output. However, for the platform's user base of security researchers, journalists, and intelligence professionals, even email exposure carries distinct risks. Knowing who uses a breach intelligence tool can reveal investigative interests, active cases, or professional affiliations, making affected users potential targets for phishing, social engineering, or retaliation. No regulatory action or litigation specific to this incident has been publicly documented. Affected individuals should be alert to phishing attempts and review any accounts tied to exposed email addresses for signs of unauthorized access. Those working in sensitive investigative or security roles should consider whether their professional email exposure creates operational security concerns.
ObscureIQ assessment: Exposure can reveal investigative interest, target selection, and user behavior patterns. This creates phishing risk, operational-security risk, and possible retaliation against researchers or investigators.
Breach Impact
In approximately August 2021 an attacker scraped the "Pastes" section of the Intelligence X platform by enumerating searches using common email domains, harvesting approximately 92.6 million email addresses that had appeared in paste content indexed by the service. The irony of a breach intelligence platform appearing in a breach intelligence dataset was noted in security community coverage. Intelligence X characterized the incident as scraping of publicly indexed content rather than a compromise of its core systems. The email addresses collected were not paired with passwords or additional personal information. No regulatory action or litigation specific to this incident has been documented.
About IntelligenceX
Intelligence X, operating at intelx.io, is a search engine and archival platform used by security researchers, journalists, investigators, and intelligence professionals to search leaked datasets, historical web content, and indexed records including WHOIS data and paste content. The platform aggregates and indexes material that has entered the public domain through breaches and leaks, making it searchable for investigative and threat intelligence purposes.
Why They Hold Your Data
OSINT and data-indexing platforms collect user accounts, searches, subscriptions, API activity, and in some cases investigation-linked behavioral records tied to intelligence gathering and data discovery.
Recent Developments
Intelligence X continues to operate as a threat intelligence and research platform. It has maintained its role as a tool for open-source intelligence work. No major organizational changes have been publicly reported.
Data Points Exposed
1 verified field types
Email Address
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:
- Targeted phishing campaigns using exposed email addresses
Threat vectors:
- Phishing, credential stuffing & account takeover
Recommended Actions
If you believe your information may be included:
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 IntelligenceX breach?▾
Intelligence X, the investigative search and archival platform operating at intelx.io, was targeted by a scraping attack in approximately August 2021. An attacker harvested data from the platform's publicly indexed "Pastes" section by running systematic searches across common email domains and…
What data was exposed?▾
Verified fields include Email Address.
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
ObscureIQ Intelligence
ObscureIQ proprietary analysis
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