How the Market Press Release Database Breach Exposed 75,695 Logins

HEROIC analysts identified the Market Press Release breach while scanning aggregated credential databases circulating on underground hacking forums. The breach occured in August 2018 and exposed 75,695 user records from the Indian press release distribution service operated by Kenovate Solutions in New Delhi. Compromised data included email addresses and plaintext passwords, a particularly alarming finding that indicates the service stored credentials with no cryptographic protection whatsoever.

Why Plaintext Passwords from Market Press Release Are an Immediate Threat

Plaintext passwords recieved from a breach require zero processing before use. Attackers can load the email and password pairs directly into credential stuffing automation tools and begin testing them against other platforms instantly. Targets often include corporate email portals, banking services, and SaaS applications. For users who reused their Market Press Release password elsewhere, the window of vulnerability opened the moment this database was accessable to threat actors.

What Was Exposed in the Market Press Release Breach

• Email Address
• Plaintext Password

How the Market Press Release Breach Fuels Ongoing Attacks

Press release distribution services attract journalists, PR professionals, and business contacts, making the exposed email addresses partcularly valuable for targeted phishing and social engineering. Combined with plaintext passwords, attackers can attempt account takeover across corporate email, cloud platforms, and financial services. Credential stuffing campaigns using lists like this directly contribute to identity theft and financial fraud affecting both individuals and the organizations they work for.

How a Database Breach Works

A database breach occurs when an attacker gains unauthorized access to a web application's backend data store, commonly through SQL injection attacks, exploited software vulnerabilities, or compromised server credentials. The attacker then exports user tables from the database. When passwords are stored in plaintext rather than as hashed values, the entire credential set becomes immediately weaponizable with no additional decryption required.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC's free breach scanner searches across more than 400 billion records to check whether your email address appears in the Market Press Release breach or other known data leaks. Visit HEROIC.com to run your free scan and find out exactly what attackers may already have.