Hacking group ‘ShinyHunters’ claims theft of data from users of leading sex site Pornhub

The Pornhub website is shown on a computer screen in Toronto on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

WASHINGTON -- The hacking group “ShinyHunters” said Tuesday that it had stolen data belonging to premium customers of the leading sex website Pornhub.

Although Reuters could not immediately establish the scope, scale or details of the breach, the hackers provided a sample of the data which Reuters was able to partially authenticate. At least two former Pornhub customers – a man in Canada and a man in the United States – confirmed to Reuters that the data pertaining to them was authentic, albeit several years old. They spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.

Pornhub and its corporate owners, the Ottawa, Canada-based Ethical Capital Partners, did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

News of the breach was reported earlier by cybersecurity news site Bleeping Computer.

(Reporting by AJ Vicens and Raphael Satter; Editing by Nia Williams and Lisa Shumaker)