In a startling revelation, SoundCloud recently confirmed a data breach that has potentially impacted 28 million accounts. While the company assures that no sensitive data such as passwords or financial information was compromised, the breach has nonetheless exposed email addresses and public profile information. If you're one of the millions affected, it's natural to feel uneasy. Let's delve into what exactly was leaked, assess the potential risks, and outline the steps you should take to protect yourself.
What Datapoints Were Leaked?
SoundCloud’s recent breach exposed the following user information:
Email addresses: The primary datapoint compromised. This is often used as a login credential and can serve as a gateway for phishing scams or unwanted emails.
Public profile information: This includes usernames, display names, and any other info you’ve chosen to share publicly on your SoundCloud profile.
While the data breach did not include highly sensitive information like passwords or banking details, the exposure of email addresses and public profile information isn’t trivial.
Email addresses can be used for phishing attempts. Attackers may try to impersonate SoundCloud or other services to trick you into sharing more sensitive data.
Public profile details, while already visible to anyone, when combined with your email, can make targeted scams more convincing.
The breach affects approximately 28 million accounts, so if you’ve used SoundCloud, your email and public-facing data could be in the wild. Even if your password is safe, exposure of your email can still open doors to unwanted contact and potential social engineering.
If you’re concerned about your digital footprint, using services like Cloaked can help protect your personal information online by creating unique email addresses for different services, reducing the risk from future breaches.
Should You Be Worried?
Hearing about a data breach always sparks anxiety—especially when your email address is involved. But how worried should you be about the SoundCloud breach? Let’s break down the real risks, without the panic.
How Serious Is the Breach?
The breach exposed a large number of SoundCloud users’ email addresses. At first glance, that might not seem like the end of the world. After all, most of us have our emails floating around the internet already. But the severity really depends on what information was taken and how it could be used:
Email Exposure: If only email addresses were leaked, the main threat is an increase in spam, phishing, and scam attempts. Bad actors often use email lists from breaches to craft targeted emails, hoping to trick people into revealing more sensitive information.
Linked Information: If an email is tied to a username, display name, or activity, attackers can try to build a profile. This can make phishing attempts more convincing. They might reference your music preferences or SoundCloud activity to gain your trust.
Potential for Credential Stuffing: If you use the same password across multiple sites and that password was also exposed (which isn’t confirmed in this case), attackers could try logging in to your accounts elsewhere.
Why Email Exposure Is a Big Deal
You might be thinking, “It’s just my email. I get junk mail all the time.” But here’s why you should still take this seriously:
Phishing Attacks: With your email, scammers can send you messages that look like they’re from SoundCloud, asking you to reset your password or verify your account. One wrong click, and you could be handing over your credentials.
Social Engineering: It’s not just about fake emails. Attackers could use information from your SoundCloud profile to make scams more believable, targeting your interests or connections.
Account Takeovers: If you reuse passwords (don’t!), your email address could be the missing piece for someone to break into your other online accounts.
What Should You Do Next?
Stay Alert: Watch out for suspicious emails that claim to be from SoundCloud or reference your account. If something feels off, don’t click links or download attachments.
Change Your Passwords: If you’ve ever used the same password on SoundCloud and another site, update those passwords immediately. Use unique passwords for every service.
Consider Cloaked: If you want to shield your real email address and manage who can actually reach you, Cloaked offers disposable email addresses that forward to your real inbox. This means if a breach happens, you simply disable the compromised alias—no need to uproot your entire online identity.
Bottom line: while an email address leak isn’t the worst-case scenario, it does open the door to nuisance and risk. Staying cautious and using tools like Cloaked can keep you ahead of scammers.
What Should Be Your Next Steps?
When data breaches hit platforms like SoundCloud, your response matters. Quick action can stop the domino effect. Here’s a step-by-step guide to lock things down:
1. Change Your Passwords Immediately
Update your SoundCloud password—and don’t recycle old ones.
Use strong combinations: mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
If you reused the same password elsewhere, change it there too.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
This extra step adds a layer of security. Even if someone has your password, they can’t get in without your second verification.
Check if your accounts support 2FA. Turn it on for all important services.
3. Monitor Your Accounts for Suspicious Activity
Review your SoundCloud account activity and any connected apps.
Keep an eye on your email inbox for password reset requests or unfamiliar logins.
Watch your bank and credit card statements for odd transactions.
4. Be Wary of Phishing Attempts
After breaches, phishing emails spike. Attackers may pose as SoundCloud or other trusted services.
Don’t click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown sources.
Look out for misspellings, odd email addresses, or urgent language.
Consider using privacy tools like Cloaked to create masked emails and phone numbers. This way, your real info stays hidden if a service gets compromised.
Cloaked lets you control which sites have your contact details, so you can disable or delete them instantly if there’s a breach.
6. Stay Informed
Follow updates from SoundCloud and security news outlets. Sometimes, breaches reveal more over time.
Set up Google Alerts for your email or username to catch any leaked data.
7. Regularly Update Your Software
Outdated apps and browsers have security holes. Keep everything updated—phones, computers, and apps.
At Cloaked, we believe the best way to protect your personal information is to keep it private before it ever gets out. That’s why we help you remove your data from people-search sites that expose your home address, phone number, SSN, and other personal details. And to keep your info private going forward, Cloaked lets you create unique, secure emails and phone numbers with one click - so you sign up for new experiences without giving away your real info. With Cloaked, your privacy isn’t a setting - it’s the default. Take back control of your personal data with thousands of Cloaked users.
*Disclaimer: You agree not to use any aspect of the Cloaked Services for FCRA purposes.
