Renting Authority Leaked 291K Records Including Plaintext Passwords

HEROIC analysts identified a significant data exposure tied to Renting Authority, a US-based online rental platform. The breach occured in August 2022 and affected 291,501 records, exposing a dangerous mix of personal identifiers and plaintext passwords. The leaked data types include email addresses, birthdays, phone numbers, first names, last names, and unencrypted passwords, making this breach partcularly severe in terms of downstream risk to affected users.

Plaintext Passwords Make the Renting Authority Breach Especially Dangerous

When passwords are stored in plaintext, attackers require no additional effort to use them. Anyone who accessed this Renting Authority database recieved a ready-to-use list of credentials. Combined with email addresses and real names, these records give threat actors everything needed to attempt account takeovers across banking, email, and social media platforms where users reused the same password.

What Was Exposed in the Renting Authority Breach

• Email Address
• Birthday
• Phone Number
• First Name
• Last Name
• Plaintext Password

Why the Renting Authority Leak Creates Long-Term Identity Risk

A breach containing full names, phone numbers, birthdays, and email addresses provides fraudsters with enough detail to open lines of credit, impersonate victims, or pass security verification questions. The addition of plaintext passwords accelerates the timeline for account takeover. Credential stuffing tools can test these combinations across hundreds of services in minutes, meaning the accessable window for attackers is wide and difficult for victims to close without knowing they were exposed.

How a Database Breach Works

A database breach occurs when an attacker gains unauthorized access to a backend data store, typically by exploiting a software vulnerability, using stolen administrative credentials, or targeting an internet-exposed database with weak or no authentication. Once inside, the attacker exports user records in bulk. In the case of Renting Authority, the exported data included a full profile for each affected user, compressed into a structured dump that can be shared or sold on dark web forums.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC offers a free breach scanner backed by a database of over 400 billion exposed records. If your email address or personal information appeared in the Renting Authority breach or any other known data leak, the scanner will surface it instantly. Visit HEROIC's breach search tool to check your exposure and take action before attackers do.