A major cybersecurity breach in El Salvador has led to the leak of personal information and HD photos of around 5 million citizens on the dark web.
A recent cybersecurity incident has led to the exposure of personal information and photos of approximately 5 million citizens of El Salvador. The leaked data, which is now circulating on the dark web, includes high-definition photos and extensive personal details of affected individuals.
The breach involves a database containing 5,129,518 high-definition photos without watermarks, each associated with the individual's unique Documento Único de Identidad (DUI) number. The total size of the leaked photo database is reported to be 144 GB. In addition to the photos, the compromised information encompasses a range of personal data such as DUI numbers, full names, dates of birth, telephone numbers, email addresses, and residential addresses.
Nosis News initially reported that the data leak had been available for a price of $250 since August. However, after the hacker's ransom demands were not met by the victims, the information was subsequently released for free as a form of retribution.
The gravity of this data breach was also recognized by La Prensa Gráfica, a well-established Spanish-language newspaper based in El Salvador, which published an article on the incident. The article has since been removed from their platform, for reasons not publicly disclosed.
The current state of the event is alarming, as the dissemination of such sensitive information could have far-reaching consequences for the privacy and security of millions of Salvadoran citizens.
As of now, the full extent of the breach's implications remains uncertain. There has been no official statement from the Salvadoran government or law enforcement regarding the leak or any measures being taken to protect the affected individuals.