AsianWorld.IT

We've been tracking the resurgence of older breach datasets in combolists, often re-packaged and sold as "new" leaks. What really struck us wasn't the volume of these dumps, but the persistence of older hashing algorithms like MD5. This AsianWorld.IT breach, initially reported in **March 2018**, resurfaced this week on several underground forums, highlighting the long tail of risk associated with weak or outdated security practices. The fact that these credentials are still circulating, and likely still being used, underscores the need for continuous monitoring and proactive password resets, even for seemingly "old" breaches.

AsianWorld.IT's 2018 Breach Resurfaces, Exposing 33k+ Credentials

The **AsianWorld.IT** breach, impacting over **33,000** users, underscores the ongoing risk posed by legacy systems and outdated security practices. Discovered initially in **March 2018**, the breach involved the exposure of user email addresses and password hashes. The data had been circulating quietly, but we noticed a spike in mentions across several combolist marketplaces and cracking forums this week. What caught our attention was the continued use of **MD5 hashing**, a deprecated algorithm known to be vulnerable to collision attacks and rainbow table lookups. This means attackers can relatively easily crack these passwords and potentially use them to access accounts on other platforms, a practice known as credential stuffing. The breach matters to enterprises now because it highlights the importance of regularly auditing third-party vendors and ensuring they adhere to modern security standards. It also reinforces the need for robust password policies and multi-factor authentication to mitigate the risk of credential reuse.

Key point: Total records exposed: **33,495**

Key point: Types of data included: **Email Address, Password Hash (MD5)**

Key point: Source structure: Likely a database export (details unavailable)

Key point: Leak location(s): Combolist marketplaces, cracking forums

Key point: Date of first appearance: **March 7, 2018** (initially), resurfaced this week

While the AsianWorld.IT breach itself isn't new, its reappearance in combolists highlights a broader trend. As reported by security researcher Troy Hunt on HaveIBeenPwned, "old" breaches are frequently re-packaged and sold as fresh data. This can lull users and organizations into a false sense of security, assuming that if a breach is years old, the risk has passed. However, the reality is that compromised credentials remain valuable for attackers seeking to gain unauthorized access to accounts and systems. Further, the use of MD5 hashing is a recurring theme in older breaches, as is weak password management. BleepingComputer has covered similar instances where outdated hashing algorithms have contributed to the ease with which attackers can compromise user accounts. This breach is a reminder that data security is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process of assessment, mitigation, and monitoring.

Email · Address · Password · Hash