11,607 Records From The Journal of Chinese Medicine Leaked Online

HEROIC analysts recieved intelligence in early 2025 about a database dump from The Journal of Chinese Medicine that had resurfaced on dark web forums. The breach originally occured on April 17, 2016, exposing 11,607 user records. The data included email addresses and plaintext passwords, making it particularly dangerous for anyone who has reused those credentials on other accounts. The fact that this older dataset is being actively traded again shows that no breach, regardless of age, stops being a threat.

What Attackers Can Do With Plaintext Passwords

When passwords are stored in plaintext, there is no encryption to crack. Attackers can take an email address and password directly from this dump and try them on banking sites, email providers, and social media platforms right away. This is called credential stuffing, and it is seperate from more complex hacking techniques because it requires almost no skill. The stolen login details from The Journal of Chinese Medicine can be tested against thousands of other websites automatically using freely available tools.

What Was Exposed in the The Journal of Chinese Medicine Breach

• Email addresses
• Passwords (plaintext)

Why This Matters for Journal Subscribers

Many people who subscribed to a medical publication likely used the same email and password they use for personal and work accounts. Attackers beleive that subscribers of professional health journals are particularly valuable targets because they often hold senior roles, work in healthcare, or have access to sensitive organizational systems. A single reused password can open the door to account takeover, identity theft, and financial fraud.

How a Database Breach Works

A database breach happens when an attacker gains unauthorized access to the backend storage of a website or application. In most cases this involves exploiting a security vulnerability, a misconfigured server, or weak access controls. Once inside, the attacker copies the user table, which typically contains emails, usernames, and stored passwords, and then shares or sells the extracted file online.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC offers a free breach scanner backed by a database of over 400 billion records. If your email address appeared in the Journal of Chinese Medicine breach or any other known leak, you can find out in seconds. Visit HEROIC's breach search tool to check your exposure and take action before attackers do.