The phone number of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was discovered in the leaked data of 533 million Facebook users. According to a source, Zuckerberg’s other records, including his name, birth date, location, marriage information, and Facebook user ID, were also discovered in the leaked data in what may be considered one of the largest data breaches ever.
In the leak, it was discovered that Zuckerberg uses the Signal app. A security researcher revealed more about it by sharing his stolen phone number, which confirmed that the Facebook CEO uses the Signal app.
“In another turn of events, Mark Zuckerberg also respects his own privacy by using a chat app that has end-to-end encryption and isn’t owned by @facebook. This is the number associated with his account from the recent Facebook leak”, security expert Dave Walker wrote on Twitter, accompanied by a screenshot of Zuckerberg’s leaked phone number that stated, “Mark Zuckerberg is on Signal.”
In another turn of events, Mark Zuckerberg also respects his own privacy, by using a chat app that has end-to-end encryption and isn't owned by @facebook
— Dave W. (@Daviey) April 4, 2021
This is the number associated with his account from the recent facebook leak. https://t.co/AXbXrF4ZxE
“Regarding the Facebook leak of the 533M people, the irony is that Mark Zuckerberg is regrettably included in the leak as well,” Walker said in another tweet.
Regarding the #FacebookLeak, of the 533M people in the leak – the irony is that Mark Zuckerberg is regrettably included in the leak as well.
— Dave W. (@Daviey) April 3, 2021
If journalists are struggling to get a statement from @facebook, maybe just give him a call, from the tel in the leak? 📞😂@GazTheJourno pic.twitter.com/lrqlwzFMjU
The news emerges when many users who are dissatisfied with Facebook-owned WhatsApp’s current privacy policies are migrating to potentially safer options like Signal.
The contentious revised terms of service for WhatsApp will take place in May 2021. Facebook’s revised privacy policy changes how it will access users’ company chats.
Meanwhile, the data breach has involved the social media giant’s other co-founders, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes.
According to Alon Gal, another security specialist, the data was leaked last year due to a loophole that revealed every Facebook account’s phone number.
However, Facebook reported that the flaw, which enabled millions of users’ phone numbers to be abraded from the platform’s servers, was discovered in 2019. Even though Facebook stated that the loophole was fixed in August 2019, Gal believes that the bug might still give relevant information to cybercriminals.
Thirty-two million of the 533 million Facebook users affected were from the United States, 11 million from the United Kingdom, and six million from India. According to a Bloomberg article, the stolen phone number database was shared on a hackers’ website and could be easily passed to someone with basic computer skills.
