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AI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats

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AI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats

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Millions of private messages meant to stay secret are now public. Two AI companion apps, Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat, have exposed more than 43 million intimate messages and over 600,000 images and videos after a major data leak discovered by Cybernews, a leading cybersecurity research group known for uncovering major data breaches and privacy risks worldwide. The exposure revealed just how vulnerable you can be when you trust AI companions with deeply personal interactions.

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Users have experienced a massive leak, exposing millions of private AI chat messages.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Massive data breach exposes AI chat users

On August 28, 2025, Cybernews researchers discovered that the Hong Kong-based developer Imagime Interactive Limited had left an entire Kafka Broker server open to the public without any security protection. This unsecured system streamed real-time chats between users and their AI companions. It contained links to personal photos, videos, and AI-generated images. In total, the exposed data involved 400,000 users across iOS and Android devices. Researchers described the content as “virtually not safe for work” and said the leak exposes a deep gap between user trust and developer responsibility.

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DISCORD CONFIRMS VENDOR BREACH EXPOSED USER IDS IN RANSOM PLOT

Researchers found an open server streaming users’ private data in real time.

iPhone and Android users’ private data was found to be streamed on an open server. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Who was exposed in the AI leak

Most affected users came from the United States. About two-thirds of the data belonged to iOS users, while the remaining third came from Android devices. Although the leak did not include full names or email addresses, it did expose IP addresses and unique device identifiers. This information can still be used to track and identify individuals through other databases. Cybernews found that users sent an average of 107 messages to their AI partners, creating a digital footprint that could be exploited for identity theft, harassment, or blackmail.

AI secrets and spending habits revealed

Purchase logs revealed that some users spent as much as $18,000 to chat with their AI girlfriends. The developer likely earned over $1 million before the breach was uncovered. Although the company’s privacy policy claimed that user security was “of paramount importance,” Cybernews found no authentication or access controls on the server. Anyone with a simple link could view private exchanges, photos, and videos. This lack of protection shows just how fragile digital intimacy can be when developers ignore basic safeguards.

Person working on a laptop

Experts warn scams, blackmail, and identity theft can be a result of the leak. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How Cybernews discovered and closed the leak

Cybernews quickly reported the problem to Imagime Interactive Limited. The exposed server was finally taken offline in mid-September after appearing on public IoT search engines, where hackers could easily find it. Experts are still unsure whether cybercriminals accessed the data before it was removed. However, the threat remains. Leaked conversations and photos can fuel sextortion scams, phishing attacks, and serious reputation damage.

HACKER EXPLOITS AI CHATBOT IN CYBERCRIME SPREE

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Tips to stay safe from AI data leaks

Even if you never used an AI girlfriend app, this case is a clear reminder to protect your privacy online.

1) Think before you share

Avoid sending personal or sensitive content to AI chat apps. Once shared, you lose control of it.

2) Use reputable AI tools

Choose apps with transparent privacy policies and proven security records.

3) Remove your data online

Use a data removal service to wipe personal information from public databases. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice.  They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy.  These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.  It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet.  By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com

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Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: CyberGuy.com

4) Strengthen your cybersecurity with strong antivirus software 

Install strong antivirus software to block scams and detect potential intrusions. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at CyberGuy.com

5) Protect your accounts with a password manager and MFA

Use a password manager and enable multi-factor authentication to keep hackers out.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see CyberGuy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials. 

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Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at CyberGuy.com

What this means for you

AI chat apps often feel safe and personal, but they store enormous amounts of sensitive data. When that data leaks, it can lead to blackmail, impersonation, or public embarrassment. Before trusting any AI service, check whether it uses secure encryption, access controls, and transparent privacy terms. If a company makes big promises about security but fails to protect your data, it is not worth the risk.

Kurt’s key takeaways

This leak exposes how unprepared many developers are to protect the private data of people using AI chat apps. The growing AI companion industry needs stronger security standards and more accountability to prevent these privacy disasters. Cybersecurity awareness is the first step. Knowing how your data moves and who controls it can help you stay safe before another leak puts your personal life online.

Would you still confide in an AI companion if you knew anyone could read what you shared? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.  

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Google’s new deadline for Epic consequences is October 29th

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Google’s new deadline for Epic consequences is October 29th

US District Court Judge James Donato has just agreed to push back enforcement of his permanent injunction until October 29th instead. Here’s the text of the order. It’s brief!

ORDER. At the joint request of the parties, MDL Dkt. No. 1110, the upcoming October 22, 2025 deadline on which certain provisions of the Injunction, MDL Dkt No. 1017, in this case are scheduled to take effect is vacated and extended to October 29th, 2025. Signed by Judge James Donato on 10/20/2025.

It’s also not clear why Google argued for the extension, or why Epic agreed to it, after Epic CEO Tim Sweeney previously celebrated the October 22nd deadline as the day “developers will be legally entitled to steer US Google Play users to out-of-app payments without fees, scare screens, and friction – same as Apple App Store users in the US!” Public documents filed by both parties don’t mention a reason for the delay.

So… October 29th. Google previously told The Verge that it would comply with its legal obligations while it continues its appeal, so that’s the day we expect to see Google pages like this one stop stating that Google Play Billing is required for developers who distribute apps via Google Play.

Unless, of course, the Supreme Court grants a stay by then… Google previously stated it would file its Supreme Court appeal by October 27th.

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Major AWS outage takes down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, and more

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Major AWS outage takes down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, and more

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is currently experiencing a major outage that has taken down online services, including Amazon, Alexa, Snapchat, Fortnite, and more. The AWS status checker is reporting that multiple services are “impacted” by operational issues, and that the company is “investigating increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS services in the US-EAST-1 Region” — though outages are also impacting services in other regions globally.

Users on Reddit are reporting that the Alexa smart assistant is down and unable to respond to queries or complete requests, and in my own experience, I found that routines like pre-set alarms are not functioning. The AWS issue also appears to be impacting platforms running on its cloud network, including Perplexity, Airtable, Canva, and the McDonalds app. The cause of the outage hasn’t been confirmed, and it’s unclear when regular service will be restored.

“Perplexity is down right now,” Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas said on X. “The root cause is an AWS issue. We’re working on resolving it.”

The AWS dashboard first reported issues affecting the US-EAST-1 Region at 3:11AM ET. “We are actively engaged and working to both mitigate the issue and understand root cause. We will provide an update in 45 minutes, or sooner if we have additional information to share,” Amazon said in an update published at 3:51AM ET.

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Discord confirms vendor breach exposed user IDs in ransom plot

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Discord confirms vendor breach exposed user IDs in ransom plot

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In 2025, it feels like cybercriminals are winning while the world’s biggest data hoarders are losing. One by one, global giants are admitting they’ve been breached, from tech powerhouses like Google to insurance leaders such as Allianz and Farmers and even luxury brands like Dior. The latest company to report a breach is Discord. The popular chat platform confirmed that hackers gained access to a third-party customer support provider, 5CA, exposing user data including names, email addresses, limited billing details and even government ID images.

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MAJOR COMPANIES, INCLUDING GOOGLE AND DIOR, HIT BY MASSIVE SALESFORCE DATA BREACH

Hackers hit Discord’s support vendor, exposing sensitive user data worldwide. (Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

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How the breach happened and what data was exposed

The company confirmed that the breach, which occurred on September 20, did not involve a direct attack on Discord’s servers. Instead, attackers gained unauthorized access to 5CA, one of Discord’s third-party customer service providers. This allowed them to view information from users who had reached out to Discord’s Customer Support or Trust & Safety teams.

Discord is a chat app primarily used by gamers, but it has expanded to various other communities, enabling text messages, voice chats and video calls. Some even use it as a replacement for Slack. The platform currently has a monthly user base of over 200 million. The data exposed included Discord usernames, real names, emails, limited billing details such as payment type and the last four digits of credit cards, IP addresses and messages exchanged with customer service agents. In some cases, government ID images provided for age verification were also compromised. Discord estimates that around 70,000 users globally may have had government ID photos exposed.

Reports suggest the attackers attempted to use this access to demand a ransom from Discord. Bleeping Computer reported that the Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters (SLH) threat group claimed responsibility for the attack earlier this month. This is the same group that claims to have access to over a billion Salesforce records and is demanding ransom for those as well.

JEEP AND CHRYSLER PARENT STELLANTIS CONFIRMS DATA BREACH

A Discord chat room

About 70,000 users had ID images stolen in the latest third-party data breach. (Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

What Discord is doing now and what users should do next

Discord disclosed the incident 13 days later, on October 3. Since then, it has cut off the third-party support provider’s access, launched an internal investigation with a digital forensics team and started informing affected users. It also clarified that any communication about the breach will come only from noreply@discord.com and that it will never contact users by phone regarding this incident. The company added that some data remained safe: full credit card numbers, CCV codes, account passwords and activity outside of customer support conversations were not exposed.

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Discord also stated that it has notified relevant data-protection authorities about the breach, is working closely with law enforcement and is auditing its third-party vendors to ensure they meet its enhanced security and privacy standards going forward.

A representative at Discord issued a statement, saying in part, “We want to address inaccurate claims by those responsible that are circulating online. First, as stated in our blog post, this was not a breach of Discord, but rather a third-party service we use to support our customer service efforts. Second, the numbers being shared are incorrect and part of an attempt to extort a payment from Discord. Of the accounts impacted globally, we have identified approximately 70,000 users that may have had government-ID photos exposed, which our vendor used to review age-related appeals. Third, we will not reward those responsible for their illegal actions. All affected users globally have been contacted, and we continue to work closely with law enforcement, data protection authorities and external security experts. We’ve secured the affected systems and ended work with the compromised vendor. We take our responsibility to protect your personal data seriously and understand the concern this may cause.”

A man typing on a gaming keyboard

Discord cuts ties with vendor 5CA and tightens its security investigations. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

6 steps you can take to stay safe after the Discord breach

If you think your details might have leaked in the Discord data breach, below are some steps you can take to stay protected.

1) Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra verification step when logging in, making it much harder for attackers to access your account even if they have your password. Discord supports 2FA via authenticator apps or SMS. Once enabled, you’ll receive a code each time you log in from a new device. This simple step can prevent account takeovers and gives you peace of mind.

2) Consider a personal data removal service

The less information available about you, the harder it is for attackers to target you. Review what personal details you’ve shared online, and remove unnecessary data from websites and apps. A personal data removal service can help scrub your information from data broker sites, making it more difficult for attackers to connect the dots and launch identity theft or phishing attacks.

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While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

3) Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts

Reusing passwords across platforms makes it easy for attackers to access multiple accounts if one password is compromised. A password manager can generate long, complex passwords and store them securely, so you don’t have to remember them all. This not only protects your Discord account but also your email, banking and other online services.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords, and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials. 

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Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com

4) Monitor accounts for suspicious activity

Even if you don’t see immediate signs of compromise, attackers can try to exploit stolen data later. Regularly check your email and Discord login history for unusual sign-ins. Services like identity theft protection can scan the dark web for your credentials and alert you immediately if they appear, helping you react quickly before serious damage occurs.

Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. 

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

5) Be cautious with emails, messages or links, and use strong antivirus software

Phishing attacks often spike after breaches. Attackers may send messages that look like official notifications asking you to reset your password or provide personal information. Always verify the sender, avoid clicking unknown links, and never share sensitive info. Treat every unexpected message as suspicious, even if it appears to come from Discord or another trusted service.

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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com. 

6) Keep devices and software up to date

Attackers often exploit outdated software and known vulnerabilities. Ensure your operating system, apps and antivirus software are current.

 

Kurt’s key takeaway

If the recent breaches are any indication, third-party services that companies rely on are often the weakest link in cybersecurity. Discord’s steps to contain the situation are necessary, but they highlight a bigger problem. Many companies do not implement sufficient safeguards to protect sensitive user data. Weak oversight of third-party providers, delayed responses and inadequate security policies leave personal information exposed and vulnerable to attackers.

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Should companies be held more accountable for breaches caused by third-party providers? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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