data breach
In September 2024, a significant data breach was reported by IntelBroker and EnergyWeaponUser on BreachForums, affecting the website weoneskills.com, a platform known for providing web courses. The breach exposed sensitive information from approximately 13,000 users. The data is now available for download, as disclosed by IntelBroker, one of the BreachForums administrators. Below, we explore the details of the company, the nature of the breach, and its wider context.
Company Overview
Weoneskills.com is a platform designed to offer online educational content, primarily focusing on web-based courses. The platform provides specialized skills development programs tailored to various industries and individuals. While relatively niche, it has built a user base that relies on it for skill improvement and certification.
Unfortunately, like many educational platforms, weoneskills.com has become a target for cybercriminals. Its user database, consisting of personal and employment-related information, is a highly attractive asset for threat actors seeking to exploit both individual users and companies associated with them.
Details of the Breach
This breach, attributed to IntelBroker and EnergyWeaponUser, compromised the personal data of around 13,000 users. The breached data includes not just typical personally identifiable information (PII) but also sensitive job-related details, making this one of the more critical breaches in the educational sector this year.
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the compromised data:
- _id
- organisation_id
- user_id
- extra_data (includes several key pieces of information)
- created_date
- Employee Number
- Employee Name in Arabic
- Business Unit
- BU Code
- Department
- Cost Center Name
- CC Code
- Nationality
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Joining Date
- Grade
- Job
- Person Type
- Supervisor Employee Number
- Supervisor Name
- Supervisor Position
- Supervisor BU Name
- Supervisor Cost Center
- Supervisor CC Code
- Emirates ID
- Test data
- Test information (T1, T2, T3, etc.)
The presence of sensitive job and personal data significantly increases the risk for affected users, both in terms of identity theft and possible employment ramifications.
Past Breaches and Security Concerns
While this incident is the first known major breach of weoneskills.com, it fits into a broader pattern of attacks on educational and skills-based platforms. Many of these sites often store sensitive data without adhering to the highest security standards, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. Previous breaches of similar platforms have shown that once user information is exposed, it is often sold on dark web marketplaces or used for phishing attacks.
What makes this breach particularly concerning is the depth of the exposed data. Unlike breaches that reveal simple usernames and passwords, this incident involves detailed employment and personal records, increasing the potential harm to individuals.