A massive data leak linked to WIRED has surfaced online, exposing personal information tied to more than 2.3 million subscribers. The incident is connected to Condé Nast’s shared subscriber infrastructure, which supports several of its media brands.
The actor behind the leak, using the alias “Lovely,” claims the exposed WIRED data is only a portion of a much larger dataset.
According to the threat actor, additional records—potentially reaching tens of millions—from other Condé Nast publications such as Vogue, GQ, and The New Yorker may also be affected.
The leaked database began circulating on underground forums around December 25, 2025. It contains millions of email addresses along with hundreds of thousands of names, physical addresses, and phone numbers. The data appears in structured JSON files, showing subscriber activity spanning more than a decade, with recent records dated as late as September 2025.
Security researchers reviewing the dataset confirmed its authenticity by matching portions of the exposed information against credentials previously stolen by infostealer malware such as RedLine and Raccoon. This overlap indicates that many of the affected accounts were already compromised elsewhere, increasing the likelihood of successful follow-on attacks.
Although the leaked files do not appear to contain passwords or payment card data, the exposure of detailed personal information still presents serious risk. Such data can be used for targeted phishing, account takeover attempts, doxing, and even physical harassment scenarios.
Investigators believe the data was collected by exploiting broken access controls in Condé Nast’s centralized account platform. By abusing predictable user identifiers and insecure object references, the attacker was able to retrieve and modify account information without proper authentication, enabling large-scale data extraction.
Prior to the leak, the threat actor reportedly attempted to disclose multiple vulnerabilities to Condé Nast through third-party channels. After receiving no public response, the actor released the WIRED dataset, framing it as a response to what they described as prolonged inaction.
The breach has since been added to monitoring services, and affected users have begun receiving exposure alerts. Security professionals warn that because Condé Nast uses a shared identity system across brands, the impact may extend beyond WIRED alone.
Users are advised to reset passwords on related accounts, remain alert to suspicious messages, and monitor for identity misuse.
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