Snapchat Numbers, Usernames Leaked

Here's something to make your New Year's Eve hangover even worse: Your Snapchat username and phone number may have been leaked to the public. A website called SnapchatDB.info released information Jan. 1 from about 4.6 million accounts connected to the temporary-photo app. But it now looks like the site's host has suspended SnapchatDB. Aw, snap.

The damage has already been done, it seems — possibly even compromising the account of Snapchat founder and tech bro Evan Spiegel himself. Users can easily look up if their Snapchat information was exposed by using this website. (I'm safe! I hope you are, too.)

Even more troubling, Snapchat execs may have already been aware of security flaws last week. According to the company's blog, they received threats about a potential attack that would expose users' names and phone numbers. Gibson Security actually warned Snapchat months ago about these serious security issues. When the company didn't respond, Gibson posted instructions on how exactly to go about conducting the infiltration. But Snapchat assured readers that it had implemented safeguards to make it "much more difficult to do." Well, look how that turned out. The Washington Post reports:

SnapchatDB reportedly gained access to the Snapchat data through a vulnerability disclosed by a group of security researchers last week. In a report posted on Christmas Day, Australia-based Gibson Security explained how the app's Android and iOS API could be hacked to expose user information.

The app's popularity has ceased to wane despite its questionable privacy. Even though it touts itself as a service that makes selfies and sexts magically disappear, Snapchat photos can be recovered again. And an Ohio University student is going to trial over a sex extortion case that started with a nude Snapchat exchange.

Snapchat has yet to respond about SnapchatDB's name and number exposure.

Image via Teacher Thought Bubble