[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fqi901swxkqjx":3},{"success":4,"breach":5},true,{"_id":6,"name":7,"title":8,"slug":7,"domain":9,"breachDate":10,"addedDate":11,"modifiedDate":12,"contentUpdatedAt":13,"source":14,"sourceUrl":15,"sourceUrls":16,"pwnCount":17,"affectedCount":17,"affectedCountStatus":18,"affectedCountLowerBound":19,"affectedCountUnit":20,"hasEnglishDescription":4,"severity":21,"dataClasses":22,"description":31,"seoTitle":15,"seoTitleEn":32,"seoDescription":15,"seoDescriptionEn":33,"logoUrl":34,"isVerified":4,"isSensitive":4,"isSpamList":35,"isMalware":35,"company":36},"68e3266eda11adda48825393","ster-kinekor","Ster-Kinekor Data Breach","sterkinekor.co.za","2017-03-09T00:00:00.000Z","2017-03-13T10:13:16.000Z","2026-07-03T15:27:19.932Z","2026-07-18T23:58:33.813Z","Third party breach","",[],1619544,"known",null,"unknown","Critical",[23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30],"Dates of birth","Email addresses","Genders","Names","Passwords","Phone numbers","Physical addresses","Spoken languages","\u003Cp>The Ster-Kinekor data breach is a 2016 customer data incident linked to a security vulnerability on the former website of the South African cinema chain Ster-Kinekor. The record contains 1,619,544 unique email addresses. Data classes include dates of birth, email addresses, gender information, names, plain text passwords, phone numbers, physical addresses, and languages spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>This record shows why it is necessary to handle separately the presence of profile fields such as address, date of birth, and spoken language alongside email and password information in cinema loyalty and membership accounts. Storing passwords in plain text poses a persistent risk for accounts that have used the same password in the past. Therefore, not only the Ster-Kinekor account but also all services using the same password pattern should be evaluated separately.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Leaking Data Types and Risks\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>This record is considered high risk because it contains a plain text password field. Email, name, phone, address, and date of birth together strengthen user identification. The presence of the password in an unhashed form directly increases the risk of account takeover for users who use the same password on other accounts.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>In the context of cinema and entertainment, fake ticket, membership, loyalty program, or campaign messages can appear convincing. The record does not list a payment card; however, the record is marked as sensitive due to plain text passwords and extensive personal profile fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Verified Scope and Boundaries\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>Although the incident date is recorded as March 9, 2017, reliable reports indicate that the vulnerability was found on the old website during the 2016 period. It has been reported that more than 6 million accounts could be exposed, with the number of unique emails being approximately 1.6 million. The data fields are compatible with the existing record.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>While explaining the scope, the raw account count and the unique email count should be separated. The LeakData result shows email matching. The most critical risk for the user is that the old plain text password has been reused on other accounts.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>User Groups at Risk\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>Users at risk are customers who have a Ster-Kinekor account or an old loyalty\u002Fmembership account. Those who use the same password on email, social media, payment, or other entertainment platforms are prioritized.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Users with address, phone number, and date of birth can be targeted with fake campaign or ticket refund messages. However, due to the password field, the first action should be to remove all reused passwords.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Urgent Measures to Be Taken\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>Matched users should change all accounts where they use the same or similar password if they remember the password they used at Ster-Kinekor. Email accounts and payment-linked accounts should be checked first.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Instead of opening incoming links directly, the user should log in through the known web address or official application of the relevant service. Knowing the caller's name, email, address, order, or profile information does not prove that they are trustworthy. One-time verification codes, payment card information, or account passwords should not be shared in any support conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Long-Term Security Strategies\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>In the long term, the habit of using a password manager, unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and removing unnecessary personal information from accounts reduces risk. Reusing the same email address across different platforms makes it easier to combine data from different breaches; using a separate email or alias for critical accounts can be considered.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Old breaches containing plain text passwords remain risky even years later. Users should completely abandon old password patterns, use a password manager, and enable two-factor authentication on critical accounts.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Record Control and User Action\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>LeakData check indicates whether the queried email address is present in this record. A positive result does not necessarily mean that all data fields definitely belong to that user; however, it is a sufficient warning for precautionary measures. A negative result only indicates that there is no match in this dataset and does not eliminate the possibility of appearing in other breaches.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A positive result is a high-priority alert due to the risk of a plain text password. A negative result means there is no match within this record; the same email should also be checked in other password breaches.\u003C\u002Fp>","Ster-Kinekor Data Breach (1.6 Million Reported Records)","Ster-Kinekor Data Breach. 1.6 Million reported records were reported. Reported data: Dates of birth, Email addresses, Genders. Review the scope, risks, and…","\u002Fuploads\u002Flogo\u002Fsterkinekor_co_za.webp",false,{"name":37,"sector":38,"country":39,"website":9,"websiteArchiveUrl":15,"websiteStatus":15,"websiteCheckedAt":19},"Ster-Kinekor","Entertainment \u002F Cinema","South Africa"]