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Duolingo data breach — are you affected?

About 2.6 million records scraped from Duolingo through a vulnerable API were distributed on a hacking forum in August 2023, after being offered for sale in January. They contain email addresses, names and learning-related details such as the languages studied. Some fields are public on purpose, but linking them to an email address helps attackers personalise phishing.

Key facts
Verified
Breach date
24 January 2023
Accounts affected
2,676,696
Added to catalogue
23 August 2023
Website
duolingo.com

Data exposed

  • Email addresses, lower risk
  • Names, lower risk
  • Spoken languages, lower risk
  • Usernames, lower risk

Colour shows how damaging the data is if misused.Credentials, ID and bank dataContact and personal detailsOther profile data

What this means for you

Based on the types of data in this breach, in order of importance.

  • Expect more targeted phishing

    Your email address ties you to this service, which is enough for a believable message such as a fake account warning. Check the sender and the web address before you sign in, and go to the site directly instead of using links in email.

  • Limit what attackers can personalise

    Names, employers, job titles and social profiles make impersonation and spear-phishing easier. Check what your public profiles reveal, and be careful with unexpected requests that use your real name or workplace.

Check your own email address

Run a free self-assessment for an email address you own. VINDICIS checks it against infostealer logs and several public breach sources and shows a summary in seconds.

Built for your own addresses. It is not a tool to look up other people.

Run a free self-assessmentCheck a password

Related breaches

Breaches that exposed similar kinds of data.

Frequently asked questions

Was my data in the Duolingo breach?

Only a check of your own address can tell. If you had an account with Duolingo around 2023, assume it might be. Run the free self-assessment with an email address you own: VINDICIS checks it against several public breach sources and shows a summary in seconds. It is built for your own addresses, not for looking up other people.

What information was exposed in the Duolingo breach?

According to the Have I Been Pwned catalogue, the Duolingo breach affected 2,676,696 accounts and exposed: Email addresses, Names, Spoken languages, Usernames. The incident dates from 24 January 2023.

What should I do if I had a Duolingo account?

Review the security settings of your Duolingo account and treat unexpected emails, texts or letters that mention Duolingo with suspicion. Delete the account if you no longer use it.

Is it safe to check my email address on VINDICIS?

Yes. The free scan is not stored or logged, results stay in memory for four hours at most, and your browser only talks to this site. The password checker hashes locally and sends only five characters of the hash, so the password never leaves your device.