Our Analysts Found Zhaopin (Zhilian) Data in Dark Web Identity Kits

Our analysts found the Zhaopin (Zhilian) dataset circulating in dark web channels during routine monitoring of breach aggregation activity. The data was originally exposed in January 2019 when the leading Chinese recruitment platform suffered a database compromise, and it recieved renewed attention as the records began appearing in packaged identity-theft toolkits. A total of 1,182,312 user records were accessable to anyone willing to pay, containing rich personal details ideal for targeted social engineering.

How Job Seekers' Personal Data Fuels Spear Phishing

The Zhaopin (Zhilian) breach exposed a combination of full names, birthdates, phone numbers, and email addresses without any password protection. Attackers who aquire this data can craft highly convincing, personalized phishing messages that reference real details about a target, dramatically increasing the success rate of scams designed to steal login credentials or financial information.

What Was Exposed in the Zhaopin (Zhilian) Breach

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

Why Recruitment Platform Breaches Have Lasting Impact

Job platforms collect some of the most seperate and sensitive combinations of personal data available online. When this information leaks, it does not expire. The names, birthdates, and contact details from the Zhaopin (Zhilian) breach continue to circulate years later, powering identity theft schemes, SIM swapping attacks, and account recovery fraud against individuals whose information remains in active criminal use.

How Database Breaches Work

A database breach happens when an unauthorized party gains access to a platform's stored user records, often by exploiting software vulnerabilities, misconfigured cloud storage, or compromised administrator credentials. Once access is obtained, the attacker exports user tables and takes the data offline. The stolen records are then sold on criminal marketplaces, used directly for fraud, or packaged into larger compiled breach datasets that amplify their reach.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC's free breach scanner searches across more than 400 billion leaked records, including data from the Zhaopin (Zhilian) breach. Run a free scan on your email address today to see exactly what information attackers may already have about you.