What You Need to Know about the SoundCloud Data Breach

SoundCloud is one of the world's largest audio streaming and music distribution platforms, founded in Berlin, Germany in 2007 and headquartered in New York City. The platform has grown into an artist-first service hosting more than 400 million tracks from over 40 million creators worldwide. With approximately 175 million registered users globally, SoundCloud serves as a critical platform for independent musicians, podcasters, and audio creators to share their work directly with audiences. 

The platform allows creators to upload unlimited tracks, connect with fans, create playlists, and monetize their content through subscriptions and partnerships, making it distinct from traditional streaming services that primarily host licensed catalog music.

In mid-December 2025, SoundCloud detected unauthorized activity in an ancillary service dashboard and immediately launched its incident response protocols. The breach affected approximately 29.8 million accounts, roughly 20 percent of the platform's user base. Users first became aware of problems when they encountered HTTP 403 Forbidden errors, particularly when attempting to access SoundCloud through VPN connections.

The cybercrime group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the attack and attempted to extort SoundCloud before publicly releasing the stolen data in January 2026. The breach exposed email addresses, usernames, display names, profile pictures, follower and following counts, geographic locations in some cases, and other profile metadata. 

SoundCloud has repeatedly emphasized that passwords, payment card numbers, and financial information were not accessed. However, the combination of email addresses linked to public profile information creates significant risks for phishing attacks and targeted scams.

When Was the SoundCloud Data Breach?

The unauthorized access occurred in December 2025, with SoundCloud publicly confirming the breach on December 15, 2025. The breach came to light through user complaints rather than internal detection systems. According to security researchers, attackers exploited an ancillary service dashboard; an internal administrative interface not intended for public use, allowing them to correlate email addresses with publicly accessible profile information.

The ShinyHunters group, known for targeting cloud services and developer infrastructure, often leverages stolen or phished credentials to gain access. Security experts believe the attackers used voice phishing tactics (vishing) to trick SoundCloud employees into providing access credentials. 

This technique has become increasingly sophisticated, with attackers using advanced phishing kits that mimic the authentication flows of identity providers like Okta, Microsoft, and Google in real time. 

ShinyHunters has been linked to recent campaigns targeting single sign-on systems at multiple major technology companies. Following the breach, SoundCloud experienced denial-of-service attacks that temporarily disrupted the platform, and configuration changes to the company's Web Application Firewall inadvertently blocked legitimate traffic from VPN services.

In January 2026, after SoundCloud refused to pay their demands, the attackers publicly released the stolen data. On January 27, 2026, the breach was indexed by Have I Been Pwned, allowing users to check whether their email addresses were involved. The company revealed that attackers deployed email flooding tactics to harass users, employees, and partners as part of their extortion campaign.

How to Check If Your Data Was Breached

If you have or had a SoundCloud account, there are several ways to determine whether your information was exposed:

• Visit Have I Been Pwned at haveibeenpwned.com and enter your email address. The service shows that 29.8 million account records were exposed, including email addresses, names, usernames, avatars, follower counts, and in some cases, geographic locations.
• Monitor your email for an unusual increase in phishing attempts, particularly messages claiming to be from SoundCloud or music industry services. Attackers can craft highly convincing fraudulent messages targeting SoundCloud users specifically.
• Watch for suspicious activity on your SoundCloud account, including unauthorized uploads, profile changes, or messages sent from your account. While passwords were not compromised, attackers may attempt credential stuffing using passwords leaked in other breaches.

What to Do If Your Data Was Breached

If your email appears in the breach data or if you suspect you may have been affected, take these immediate steps:

• Change your SoundCloud password as a precautionary measure. Create a strong, unique password that you do not use on any other websites.
• Enable two-factor authentication on your SoundCloud account if available. This additional security layer significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
• Be extremely vigilant for phishing attempts delivered via email or social media. You may receive emails claiming to be from SoundCloud about account security issues, payment problems, copyright violations, or urgent updates. These messages may include links to fake websites designed to steal credentials. Always verify authenticity by navigating directly to SoundCloud's official website rather than clicking links in emails.
• Secure your email account with a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication. Your email is the primary target after most breaches because gaining access allows criminals to reset passwords and take over other accounts.
• If you're a SoundCloud creator who monetizes content, monitor your financial accounts closely for suspicious activity. While SoundCloud stated financial information was not compromised, exposed profile information could be used in social engineering attacks targeting creators. Be especially cautious of messages claiming to be from payment processors or requesting verification of financial details. 
• Consider reviewing your account settings on SoundCloud to limit the public visibility of certain profile information. You may also want to use a data removal service to limit how often your email address and personal details appear across data broker websites, making it harder for criminals to piece together detailed profiles for targeted attacks.

Are There Any Lawsuits Because of the Data Breach?

Yes. A proposed class action lawsuit was filed against SoundCloud Inc. on February 4, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Alexander Merkel, alleges negligence, negligence per se, and violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

The complaint claims SoundCloud recklessly failed to implement standard cybersecurity measures, enabling unauthorized access to user data. According to court documents, SoundCloud allegedly violated FTC guidelines requiring businesses to properly dispose of personal information, encrypt stored data, understand network vulnerabilities, and implement security policies. The lawsuit states the compromised information was unencrypted and unredacted.

The proposed class seeks to represent all United States residents whose personal information was processed through SoundCloud's systems between July and December 2025. Multiple law firms have announced investigations into potential claims against SoundCloud.

If successful, affected users could potentially recover compensation for time spent monitoring accounts, costs for credit monitoring services, and damages for increased identity theft risk. 

The exact amount would depend on numerous factors, including the number of class members and the outcome of legal proceedings. For comparison, similar data breach class actions have resulted in settlements ranging from a few dollars per person to several thousand dollars for those who can document actual losses. 

Users interested in participating should monitor announcements from law firms investigating the incident and save all correspondence from SoundCloud about the breach as evidence of their inclusion in the affected class.

Can My SoundCloud Information Be Used for Identity Theft?

Yes. While the breach did not expose Social Security numbers, credit cards, or passwords, the combination of compromised data can still be weaponized for identity theft and fraud. The exposed information, including email addresses, names, usernames, profile pictures, follower counts, and geographic locations, provides criminals with valuable tools for targeted attacks.

Email addresses linked to real profiles allow scammers to craft highly convincing phishing messages. Armed with your email and knowing you have a SoundCloud account, criminals can pose as SoundCloud support, music industry professionals, or fellow creators. They might claim there's a copyright issue, payment problem, or urgent security update. With profile information like follower counts and usernames, these messages feel personal and believable.

For SoundCloud creators who have built followings and monetize content, risks are even higher. Attackers can impersonate creators on social media, potentially scamming fans or collaborators. They might create fake profiles using stolen profile pictures and usernames, then contact followers claiming to have new music or merchandise available.

The exposed geographic location data can be combined with other information online to build more complete profiles of victims. Criminals cross-reference breach data with information from social media, data broker sites, and public sources to assemble comprehensive dossiers for sophisticated social engineering attacks.

Even though passwords were not compromised, criminals may attempt credential stuffing attacks using passwords exposed in other breaches. If you reused your SoundCloud password on other breached websites, attackers can try those combinations to gain access.

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself Online?

Data breaches have become an unfortunate reality, but you can take proactive steps to protect yourself:

• Use unique, strong passwords for every online account. Each should be at least 12 to 15 characters long with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Never reuse passwords. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
• Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible, particularly on accounts with sensitive information or financial access. Choose app-based authentication or hardware security keys over SMS-based codes when available.
• Be extremely cautious with email and messages, especially those creating urgency, claiming account problems, or requesting you click links. Verify legitimacy by contacting the company directly through official channels rather than responding to suspicious messages.
• Regularly review your online accounts and minimize personal information on public profiles. Consider whether you need to share your full name, location, or other details on every platform. Adjust privacy settings to limit public access.
• Monitor accounts regularly for suspicious activity and set up alerts. Enable transaction notifications on banking apps, review credit card statements monthly, and check credit reports annually.
• Be mindful of information you share on social media. Details like your hometown, school names, or pet names are commonly used in security questions and can help criminals access your accounts.
• Keep devices and software updated with the latest security patches. Enable automatic updates to ensure you receive important security fixes as soon as they're available.
• Install and maintain reputable antivirus software on all devices. Strong protection can detect malicious links, warn about phishing emails and fraudulent websites, and prevent malware from accessing your information.
• Use email aliases or separate email addresses for different account types when possible. If one email is exposed in a breach, your other accounts remain isolated and protected.

By implementing these security practices and remaining vigilant, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to fraud and identity theft that often follow data breaches like the SoundCloud incident.