Toy Maker VTech Hack Affects 5M Customers, Including Kids

Electronic toymaker VTech was hacked last week, exposing the personal information of around 5 million customers.

While no credit card numbers were stolen, hackers did get access to profile information like names, email addresses, passwords, mailing addresses and IP addresses. The hacked database also included information related to children, including names, genders and birth dates.

• Add to Google

How third-party sites are monitoring your online shopping habits

04:05

VTech did not disclose how many of the 5 million accounts contained children's personal information.

Someone claiming to be the hacker told Vice.com's Motherboard website that he or she also obtained photos and chat logs from VTech's Kid Connect messaging service.

The security breach happened on Nov. 14, according to the company, and was discovered 10 days later. Hackers gained access to VTech's Learning Lodge website, where parents can download apps, e-books and other materials for their toys.

"It is important to note that our customer database does not contain any credit card information and VTech does not process nor store any customer credit card data on the Learning Lodge website," the company wrote in a press release issued on Monday.

Read More: Spies in the Toy Box? Internet-Connected Dolls Record Your Kids

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

After learning of the breach, VTech "immediately conducted a thorough investigation" and contacted the affected customers via email.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

The fact that credit card information wasn't stolen doesn't comfort Jeff Hill, channel marketing manager at security firm STEALTHbits.

"A stolen credit card can be cancelled," Hill said in a statement. "Personal information, however, like a child’s name, birthday, and home mailing address can be used by clever and patient cyber-criminals to compromise personal information over time using highly-targeted phishing attacks that leverage the initially stolen information."

Attorneys general in Connecticut and Illinois said that they would probe the breaches, Reuters reported.