Search Your Email: The Cig.co.il Breach Exposed 19,829 Accounts

HEROIC analysts identified a database breach originating from Cig.co.il, an Israeli e-commerce platform focused on e-cigarettes and accessories. The incident, which occured on September 4, 2022, exposed the personal data of 19,829 users. The leaked records included email addresses, phone numbers, usernames, full names, and MD5 password hashes, creating a layered risk for anyone who shopped on the platform.

Why MD5 Password Hashes Put You at Risk

MD5 is a weak hashing algorithm that is partcularly vulnerable to cracking with modern hardware. Attackers who recieved this data can run the hashes through rainbow tables or brute-force tools and recover plaintext passwords within hours. If you reused that password on email, banking, or social media accounts, every one of those accounts is now at risk.

What Was Exposed in the Cig.co.il Breach

• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Password Hash (MD5)
• Username
• First Name
• Last Name

How This Data Fuels Identity Theft and Account Takeover

Combining a full name, email address, phone number, and a crackable password hash gives attackers everything they need to impersonate a victim. This combination is a toolkit for credential stuffing attacks across other platforms, SIM-swapping attempts using the phone number, and targeted phishing campaigns built around the victim's real name and known account details. The financial and personal consequences can be severe.

How a Database Breach Works

A database breach occurs when an attacker gains unauthorized access to a company's backend data store, often through SQL injection, stolen admin credentials, or an exposed database port left open to the internet. Once inside, the attacker can export entire tables of user records in minutes. The stolen data is then packaged and sold or shared on dark web forums and private Telegram channels, where it circulates for months or years after the original incident.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC's free breach scanner searches across more than 400 billion compromised records to tell you instantly whether your email address appeared in the Cig.co.il breach or any other known data leak. Run a free scan at HEROIC.com and take action before someone else does.