Brazilian Crowdfunding Platform APOIA.se Data Breach Exposes Over 450,000 Users

Published
Written by:
Lore Apostol
Lore Apostol
Cybersecurity Writer
Key Takeaways
  • Significant Exposure: The APOIA.se data breach compromised the personal information of approximately 451,000 unique users.
  • Data Leaked: Exposed data includes names, email addresses, and physical addresses, which were subsequently posted on an online forum.
  • Breach Timeline: The database was reportedly compromised in December 2025, with the company officially confirming the breach in January 2026.

The Brazilian crowdfunding platform APOIA.se suffered a significant data breach that exposed users' personal information, with more than 450,000 email addresses added today to the data breach notification service Have I Been Pwned (HIBP). 

The company acknowledged the incident in January 2026, a month after a database containing user records was posted on a popular online hacking forum.

Details of the Compromised User Data

The December 2025 APOIA.se data breach exposed a substantial dataset. Technical details of the breach and the number of affected individuals have not yet been disclosed. According to HIBP, the leak includes the platform's backers and creators:

APOIA.se data leak emails | Source: Canaltech
APOIA.se data leak emails | Source: Canaltech

Reports last month also suggested unique identifiers may have been exposed. These do not directly reveal which campaigns users supported or their interests or preferences without access to our protected internal systems, the company reportedly said in sent breach notification emails.

The company allegedly emphasized that sensitive information, such as payment data, was not exposed because partners with international security certification (PCI-DSS) processed the purchases. 

Cybersecurity for Crowdfunding Platforms

The Brazilian crowdfunding platform breach highlights how these sites have become attractive targets for cybercriminals due to the valuable personal and financial data they store. 

As crowdfunding continues to grow in popularity, platforms must prioritize implementing advanced security measures to protect user data from unauthorized access and prevent similar large-scale breaches in the future.


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