I exposed the huge celebrity data leak including Angelina Jolie

The researcher who uncovered a huge alleged celebrity data breach surrounding the Tribeca Film Festival has said the leaked details could have been a goldmine for hackers. Jeremiah Fowler is a cybersecurity expert of 15 years and uncovered a reported leak which exposed several.

Outlining his findings in his blog, most of the files contained non-sensitive information like press releases and cinema schedules. However, he says he also found thousands of email addresses and phone numbers in a back-up file.

What Happened

What was even more concerning was that Fowler claims the devices the email addresses were used on were also collected. This is a big risk as if the data was found by potential scammers, they would have enough convincing information to social.

• The leak stemmed from databases related to this year's Tribeca Film Festival, founded by Robert De Niro in 2002, which were exposed, leading Fowler to find 666,369 files.

• A lot of times, these companies don't realise the data of your customers and users is equally, if not more, valuable than the products or services you provide.

• He also advised big companies to make sure they don't scrimp on cybersecurity, even if the investment doesn't make a financial return, as the losses can be devastating.

Key Details

Fowler says he saw several celebrities' information in the files, including actors Rami Malek, Sharon Stone, Neil Patrick Harris and Michael Douglas; directors Martin Scorsese, Danny Boyle and George Lucas, as well as Jolie and De Niro, plus many more. A source.

• It's smart to back up your system, but don't leave it with all your production data.

• So he has sympathy, as well as clear advice for companies.

• In fact, his career in the industry started when the company he worked for at the time fell victim to a breach.

Why It Matters

He explained how criminals could have used that data in a scam to pose as a celebrity and spread malware to their contacts. I'm like, 'hey, can you give me an update on this?

• Fowler says most data breaches of this kind stem from human error.

• Whereas he looked for a back-up file, leading him to find a 'shiny gold coin hidden in the weeds' and the personal information.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by LADbible as more details emerge