What happened in the Xiaomi data breach?
Twingate Team
•
Feb 22, 2024
In 2014, Xiaomi faced allegations that its devices were secretly sending users' personal data, including IMEI numbers, phone numbers, and text messages, to servers in Beijing, China. This raised privacy concerns in several countries, including India and Taiwan, leading to investigations and warnings from authorities, such as the Indian Air Force, which advised against using Xiaomi smartphones due to security risks.
How many accounts were compromised?
The approximate number of compromised accounts was 7,088,010.
What type of data was leaked?
The data allegedly sent to servers included users' IMEI numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, passwords, and usernames.
How was Xiaomi hacked?
The breach was attributed to Xiaomi devices sending data back to servers in China. The Taiwanese researcher's claims involved a zero-day vulnerability in Xiaomi's website, which supposedly allowed unauthorized access to Xiaomi's user account data.
Xiaomi’s solution
In response to privacy concerns, Xiaomi announced plans to open a data center in India to host its services, moving away from its servers in Beijing.
How do I know if I was affected?
Xiaomi did not provide specific details on how users could check if their data was affected by the breach. However, users concerned about their privacy can visit platforms like HaveIBeenPwned, monitor their account activity and change their passwords as a precaution.
What should affected users do?
If you're concerned your Xiaomi account might have been compromised, it's recommended to take the following steps immediately:
Change Your Xiaomi Account Password: Create a new, strong password that you haven't used on other websites. Ensure it's a complex combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Monitor Your Account Activity: Regularly check your Xiaomi account for any signs of unauthorized access or unusual activity. This includes unexpected changes to your account settings or personal information.
Be Alert to Phishing Attempts: Watch out for suspicious emails or messages claiming to be from Xiaomi. Avoid clicking on links or providing personal information in response to requests that seem untrustworthy.
Consider Additional Security Measures: If your personal information has been exposed, think about using additional security services, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), to further protect your account.
For further assistance or to report suspicious activity, reach out to Xiaomi Support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
For more detailed information on the Xiaomi data breach and ongoing updates, users can refer to the following resources:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
What happened in the Xiaomi data breach?
Twingate Team
•
Feb 22, 2024
In 2014, Xiaomi faced allegations that its devices were secretly sending users' personal data, including IMEI numbers, phone numbers, and text messages, to servers in Beijing, China. This raised privacy concerns in several countries, including India and Taiwan, leading to investigations and warnings from authorities, such as the Indian Air Force, which advised against using Xiaomi smartphones due to security risks.
How many accounts were compromised?
The approximate number of compromised accounts was 7,088,010.
What type of data was leaked?
The data allegedly sent to servers included users' IMEI numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, passwords, and usernames.
How was Xiaomi hacked?
The breach was attributed to Xiaomi devices sending data back to servers in China. The Taiwanese researcher's claims involved a zero-day vulnerability in Xiaomi's website, which supposedly allowed unauthorized access to Xiaomi's user account data.
Xiaomi’s solution
In response to privacy concerns, Xiaomi announced plans to open a data center in India to host its services, moving away from its servers in Beijing.
How do I know if I was affected?
Xiaomi did not provide specific details on how users could check if their data was affected by the breach. However, users concerned about their privacy can visit platforms like HaveIBeenPwned, monitor their account activity and change their passwords as a precaution.
What should affected users do?
If you're concerned your Xiaomi account might have been compromised, it's recommended to take the following steps immediately:
Change Your Xiaomi Account Password: Create a new, strong password that you haven't used on other websites. Ensure it's a complex combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Monitor Your Account Activity: Regularly check your Xiaomi account for any signs of unauthorized access or unusual activity. This includes unexpected changes to your account settings or personal information.
Be Alert to Phishing Attempts: Watch out for suspicious emails or messages claiming to be from Xiaomi. Avoid clicking on links or providing personal information in response to requests that seem untrustworthy.
Consider Additional Security Measures: If your personal information has been exposed, think about using additional security services, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), to further protect your account.
For further assistance or to report suspicious activity, reach out to Xiaomi Support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
For more detailed information on the Xiaomi data breach and ongoing updates, users can refer to the following resources:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
What happened in the Xiaomi data breach?
Twingate Team
•
Feb 22, 2024
In 2014, Xiaomi faced allegations that its devices were secretly sending users' personal data, including IMEI numbers, phone numbers, and text messages, to servers in Beijing, China. This raised privacy concerns in several countries, including India and Taiwan, leading to investigations and warnings from authorities, such as the Indian Air Force, which advised against using Xiaomi smartphones due to security risks.
How many accounts were compromised?
The approximate number of compromised accounts was 7,088,010.
What type of data was leaked?
The data allegedly sent to servers included users' IMEI numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, passwords, and usernames.
How was Xiaomi hacked?
The breach was attributed to Xiaomi devices sending data back to servers in China. The Taiwanese researcher's claims involved a zero-day vulnerability in Xiaomi's website, which supposedly allowed unauthorized access to Xiaomi's user account data.
Xiaomi’s solution
In response to privacy concerns, Xiaomi announced plans to open a data center in India to host its services, moving away from its servers in Beijing.
How do I know if I was affected?
Xiaomi did not provide specific details on how users could check if their data was affected by the breach. However, users concerned about their privacy can visit platforms like HaveIBeenPwned, monitor their account activity and change their passwords as a precaution.
What should affected users do?
If you're concerned your Xiaomi account might have been compromised, it's recommended to take the following steps immediately:
Change Your Xiaomi Account Password: Create a new, strong password that you haven't used on other websites. Ensure it's a complex combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Monitor Your Account Activity: Regularly check your Xiaomi account for any signs of unauthorized access or unusual activity. This includes unexpected changes to your account settings or personal information.
Be Alert to Phishing Attempts: Watch out for suspicious emails or messages claiming to be from Xiaomi. Avoid clicking on links or providing personal information in response to requests that seem untrustworthy.
Consider Additional Security Measures: If your personal information has been exposed, think about using additional security services, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), to further protect your account.
For further assistance or to report suspicious activity, reach out to Xiaomi Support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
For more detailed information on the Xiaomi data breach and ongoing updates, users can refer to the following resources: