We’re excited to share that 3B Data Security had the honour of contributing to the three-part documentary series on Disney+ ‘The Ashley Madison Affair’, which delves deep into the Ashley Madison data breach – one of the most talked-about cyber incidents of our time.
A Quick Overview of the Ashley Madison Data Breach
Ashley Madison, an online dating service marketed to people who are married or in relationships, became the focal point of one of the most controversial data breaches in recent history.
In July 2015, a group called ‘The Impact Team’ hacked the site and stole the user data of millions of members. This wasn’t just any data breach – it revealed personal details, including names, addresses, emails, and even payment information of individuals looking for an affair.
The hackers’ motive? They criticised Ashley Madison’s business ethics, specifically the site’s full deletion service, which promised to erase a user’s profile data for a fee but allegedly retained some user information. They demanded the site to be shut down. When their demands were not met, they released the data, leading to personal, professional, and even legal consequences for many of the site’s users.
How 3B Data Security Played a Part
Given our expertise in cyber security and our vast understanding of cyber threats and attacks; 3B Data Security were approached to act as technical consultants to provide guidance and advice for the documentary around the methodologies employed by cyber criminals in such data breaches, and to help provide relevant technical footage.
Our Managing Director, Benn Morris, and Head of Security Testing, Chris Pickering, contributed to the series on-set and in the preparation.
We were thrilled to lend our expertise to this project, which is an insightful watch for both industry professionals and the public.
Our collaboration with this documentary highlights our consultancy’s commitment to educating the public about the intricacies of cyber threats, the risks associated with digital complacency, and the importance of maintaining robust cyber defences.
‘The Ashley Madison Affair’ is now available to stream on Disney+
