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Security expert Troy Hunt, the creator of the data breach notification site Have I Been Pwned, has fallen victim to a sophisticated phishing attack. The incident, which occurred on March 25, 2025, resulted in the compromise of his email subscriber list, affecting approximately 16,000 current and past subscribers to his personal blog. The attackers gained access to Hunt's Mailchimp account after he clicked on a malicious link in an email disguised as a legitimate notice from the email marketing provider.

Hunt immediately disclosed the breach, emphasizing the importance of transparency and acknowledging his frustration with falling for the scam. The phishing email exploited a sense of urgency by claiming a spam complaint had triggered a temporary suspension of his account, prompting him to enter his credentials and one-time passcode. While 2FA was enabled on his Mailchimp account, the phish still managed to get the one time passcode. Industry experts have said the incident underscores how even seasoned cybersecurity professionals can be vulnerable to social engineering tactics that prey on human weaknesses, such as tiredness and a sense of urgency.

ImgSrc: cdn.mos.cms.fut

References :

• haveibeenpwned.com: In March 2025, . The exported list contained 16k email addresses and other data automatically collected by Mailchimp including IP address and a derived latitude, longitude and time zone.
• PCMag UK security: Creator of HaveIBeenPwned Data Breach Site Falls for Phishing Email
• www.itpro.com: Have I Been Pwned owner Troy Hunt’s mailing list compromised in phishing attack
• Malwarebytes: Security expert Troy Hunt hit by phishing attack
• gbhackers.com: Mozilla is working to patch the vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-2857, with security updates for Firefox 136.0.4 and Firefox ESR versions 128.8.1 and 115.21.1.
• securityaffairs.com: Mozilla addressed a critical vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-2857, impacting its Firefox browser for Windows.
• The DefendOps Diaries: Mozilla warns of a critical Firefox vulnerability allowing sandbox escapes, posing significant security risks to Windows users.

Classification:

• HashTags: #Phishing #HIBP #SecurityBreach
• Company: Troy Hunt
• Target: Troy Hunt's Subscribers
• Product: Mailchimp
• Feature: phishing attack
• Malware: Mailchimp Phish
• Type: Hack
• Severity: Medium