Fling.com Data Breach: What Happened in October 2016?

In late October 2016, Fling.com—a well-known adult social network claiming to be the “World’s Best Adult Social Network”—suffered a major data breach that exposed the private information of over 40 million users. The breach, which took place in 2011 but came to public attention years later, led to the compromise of highly sensitive details, including users’ emails, passwords, birthdates, phone numbers, and even specifics about sexual orientation and interests. Notably, the passwords were found stored in plain text, intensifying privacy and security risks for affected members. Fling.com, known for connecting adults seeking casual relationships, faced scrutiny as the leak included data that many users considered deeply personal and confidential.

Scope and Impact of the Fling.com Data Leak

This breach is significant in sheer scale as well as the nature of the exposed data. A total of 40,769,653 user records were compromised, covering a global user base. Details in the leak ranged from basic profile information—like email addresses and usernames—to more intimate profile attributes and contact information. The exposure of full birthdates, phone numbers, and password data highlighted substantial privacy implications for those involved.

What Information Was Exposed?

The attack on Fling.com resulted in the loss of multiple personal fields, including:

• Usernames
• Password data (in both plain text and hashed form)
• Email addresses
• Birthdates
• Full phone numbers
• IP addresses used for registration or access

On top of these, some records contained details about users’ sexual preferences—a particularly sensitive form of data.

Timeline of Events

The initial breach occurred in 2011, but information didn’t emerge publicly until October 2016, when the breached records surfaced online. The delayed disclosure left many users unaware for years that their data had been circulating among attackers and possibly other third parties. The timeline emphasized the importance of strong security practices and timely notification following a breach, especially for platforms managing sensitive personal information.

Who Was Behind the Fling.com Breach?

The specifics of the attackers behind the Fling.com breach have not been widely reported, and the perpetrators remain unidentified. The breach became public knowledge after a copy of the compromised database was distributed online in hacking communities. While attribution hasn’t been established, the scale and nature of the exposed data highlight ongoing risks for platforms in the adult social networking industry.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Fling.com Breach

How many Fling.com users were affected by the breach?

Over 40 million accounts were compromised in the Fling.com data breach, making it one of the largest incidents involving adult social networks.

What types of information were leaked in the Fling.com data breach?

The breach exposed usernames, emails, passwords (in both plain and hashed forms), full birthdates, phone numbers, registration IP addresses, and details relating to users’ sexual preferences and interests.

When was the Fling.com data breach discovered?

The breach occurred in 2011 but became widely known in October 2016 when the stolen data appeared online.

Was sensitive information like passwords exposed in plain text?

Yes, many passwords in the Fling.com breach were discovered stored in plain text, raising the potential risk for impacted users if they reused passwords on other sites.

How can i check if i'm in the Fling.com breach?

You can check if your information was part of the Fling.com breach by utilizing the DeHashed search engine.