Authy Database Phone Numbers Breached
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Twilio Authy left an authentication server insecure such that users could query phone numbers to get basic information about the account status. This was queried repeatedly with phone numbers until eventually 33 million records were obtained. These records were then sold on the dark web. Twilio eventually admitted these numbers matched their records. These phone numbers could be used for phishing attacks and users need to be more cautious than normal.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
About Twilio Authy
"Authy is the long-standing two-factor authentication app that is meant to make logging in to services more secure. Most recently, it dropped support for all desktop platforms, including the Mac, in favor of its iPhone and Android apps."
"Enable 2FA for your favorite sites. Go beyond the password and protect yourself from hackers and account takeovers."
"Defeat cyber criminals & avoid account takeovers with stronger security, for free!"
"Relying on just usernames and passwords to secure your online accounts is no longer considered safe. Data breaches occur daily and hackers are always inventing new ways to take over your accounts. Protect yourself by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). This blocks anyone using your stolen data by verifying your identity through your device. Enable 2FA now to protect your accounts online."
The Reality
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- When the service was actually started (if different than the "official story").
- Who actually ran a service and their own personal history.
- How the service was structured behind the scenes. (For example, there was no "trading bot".)
- Details of what audits reported and how vulnerabilities were missed during auditing.
What Happened
The specific events of the loss and how it came about. What actually happened to cause the loss and some of the events leading up to it.
| Date | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| June 27th, 2024 3:17:00 PM MDT | Dark Web Informer | Dark Web Informer makes a tweet with a screenshot of the original post including breach details. |
| July, 2024 | Authy Blog Post | Authy publishes a blog post with high level information on the breach. |
| July 3rd, 2024 10:43:12 AM MDT | BleepingComputer Article | BleepingComputer posts an article on the incident. |
| July 4th, 2024 5:52:10 AM MDT | Apple Insider Article | Apple Insider reports on the Authy breach. |
| July 4th, 2024 8:12:00 PM MDT | Twitter Post | A twitter post by 23pds reports on Authy being hacked, compromising over 33 million phone numbers. Users are advised to beware of potential phishing attacks. |
| July 8th, 2024 10:00:00 AM MDT | CPO Magazine Article | CPO Magazine reports that the breach has been confirmed by Authy. The breach was discovered when the ShinyHunters group posted a dump of phone numbers on BreachForums in late June. Twilio has updated its Android and iOS apps and assured users that account logins were not compromised, though phishing attempts are expected. The breach was compared against other past breaches. |
Technical Details
The vulnerability stemmed from an API endpoint lacking authentication, allowing attackers to query phone numbers and receive account-related information. Twilio has since implemented authentication on the endpoint. The incident raises concerns about phishing attacks targeting Authy users. [CPO]
Total Amount Lost
No funds were lost.
How much was lost and how was it calculated? If there are conflicting reports, which are accurate and where does the discrepancy lie?
Immediate Reactions
"23pds, the CISO at SlowMist, tweeted that the 2FA service Authy has been hacked, resulting in the theft of the phone numbers of 33 million users. If you are an Authy user, please be vigilant against phishing attacks. The official developer, Twilio, has confirmed the vulnerability. Many professionals in the crypto industry use this 2FA software, so please ensure the security of your assets."
"Authy, the popular 2FA service second only to Google Authenticator, has been hacked, compromising the phone numbers of 33 million users! If you are an Authy user, be wary of phishing attacks! The official developer Twilio has now confirmed the vulnerability, and a large number of practitioners in the cryptocurrency industry use this 2FA software, so keep your assets safe."
"In a post on a well-known hacking forum, the hacker or hackers known as ShinyHunters wrote that they hacked Twilio and obtained the cell phone numbers of 33 million users."
Ultimate Outcome
Twilio spokesperson Kari Ramirez told TechCrunch that the company “has detected that threat actors were able to identify data associated with Authy accounts, including phone numbers, due to an unauthenticated endpoint. We have taken action to secure this endpoint and no longer allow unauthenticated requests.”
“We have seen no evidence that the threat actors obtained access to Twilio’s systems or other sensitive data. As a precaution, we are requesting all Authy users to update to the latest Android and iOS apps for the latest security updates and encourage all Authy users to stay diligent and have heightened awareness around phishing and smishing attacks,” Ramirez wrote in an email.
"Now Twilio, developer of the app, has confirmed in a blog post that it was hacked, in what it says was a limited way. Without saying how many people were affected, the company says the hack was confined to phone numbers."
"Twilio believes that the security of our products and our customers’ data is of paramount importance and when an incident occurs that might threaten that security, we tell you about it.
Twilio has detected that threat actors were able to identify data associated with Authy accounts, including phone numbers, due to an unauthenticated endpoint. We have taken action to secure this endpoint and no longer allow unauthenticated requests.
We have seen no evidence that the threat actors obtained access to Twilio’s systems or other sensitive data. As a precaution, we are requesting that all Authy users update to the latest Android and iOS apps for the latest security updates. While Authy accounts are not compromised, threat actors may try to use the phone number associated with Authy accounts for phishing and smishing attacks; we encourage all Authy users to stay diligent and have heightened awareness around the texts they are receiving."
Total Amount Recovered
There do not appear to have been any funds recovered in this case.
What funds were recovered? What funds were reimbursed for those affected users?
Ongoing Developments
"“If attackers are able to enumerate a list of user’s phone numbers, then those attackers can pretend to be Authy/Twilio to those users, increasing the believability in a phishing attack to that phone number,” Rachel Tobac, an expert in social engineering and CEO of SocialProof Security, told TechCrunch.
Tobac explained that now hackers can specifically target people who they know are Authy users, giving the attackers a chance to make it look like their malicious messages really come from Authy and Twilio."
Individual Prevention Policies
No specific policies for individual prevention have yet been identified in this case.
For the full list of how to protect your funds as an individual, check our Prevention Policies for Individuals guide.
Platform Prevention Policies
Policies for platforms to take to prevent this situation have not yet been selected in this case.
For the full list of how to protect your funds as a financial service, check our Prevention Policies for Platforms guide.
Regulatory Prevention Policies
No specific regulatory policies have yet been identified in this case.
For the full list of regulatory policies that can prevent loss, check our Prevention Policies for Regulators guide.
References
- ↑ SlowMist Hacked - SlowMist Zone (Accessed Jul 5, 2024)
- ↑ @im23pds Twitter (Accessed Jul 8, 2024)
- ↑ https://www.securityweek.com/twilio-confirms-data-breach-after-hackers-leak-33m-authy-user-phone-numbers/ (Accessed Jul 8, 2024)
- ↑ Authy | Two-factor Authentication (2FA) App & Guides (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)
- ↑ Security Alert: Update to the Authy Android (v25.1.0) and iOS App (v26.1.0) | Twilio (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)
- ↑ Authy hacked, 33 million phone numbers stolen (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)
- ↑ TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)
- ↑ @DarkWebInformer Twitter (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)
- ↑ Authy exposes phone numbers of 33M users; Twilio confirms - 9to5Mac (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)
- ↑ Hackers abused API to verify millions of Authy MFA phone numbers (Accessed Jul 9, 2024)