The FigureMergenti Breach: 64,000 Plaintext Passwords Exposed

HEROIC analysts uncovered the FigureMergenti database breach, originally occured in December 2016, exposing 64,139 user records from this Italian art platform. The leaked data included plaintext passwords, meaning credentials were stored with no encryption and are immediately usable by anyone who recieved the dump. This breach has resurfaced on dark web forums, putting affected users at renewed risk years after the original incident.

Why Plaintext Passwords From FigureMergenti Are Dangerous Right Now

When passwords are stored in plaintext, attackers need zero effort to use them. Unlike hashed passwords that require cracking, these credentials are partcularly dangerous because they can be loaded directly into automated tools and tested against email providers, banking sites, and social media platforms within minutes of the dump being shared.

What Was Exposed in the FigureMergenti Breach

• Plaintext passwords
• User account records (64,139 total)

How a 2016 Italian Database Breach Still Threatens You Today

Older breaches do not expire. Attackers actively recycle dumps like FigureMergenti because password reuse is widespread. If you used the same password on FigureMergenti as you do on other accounts today, those accounts are accessable to anyone holding this data. Credential stuffing attacks, identity theft, and account takeovers are all real consequences traced directly to recycled breach data.

How Database Breaches Work

A database breach happens when attackers gain unauthorized access to the backend storage system of a website or service. They extract the entire user table, which can contain usernames, email addresses, and passwords. When those passwords are not encrypted, the stolen data is immediately usable. The attacker does not need to crack anything. They simply copy and paste credentials into login forms across the web.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC's free breach scanner searches across more than 400 billion compromised records, including the FigureMergenti database. Enter your email address at HEROIC to find out instantly whether your credentials appear in this breach or any other known data leak.