Hackers Leak London Stock Exchange Group’s World-Check Screening Database with Over 5 Million Records

Hackers have recently stolen and leaked the London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) World-Check screening database, containing over five million records on politically exposed persons (PEPs), criminals, risky organizations, and other institutions. The database was uploaded to a well-known data leak forum, where the attackers, who go by the name GhostR, claimed to have obtained the data in March.

The Cybernews research team has verified the legitimacy of the information provided by the attackers. LSEG clarified that the security incident did not involve any of the company’s systems but rather a client’s data set, which included a copy of the World-Check data file.

The stolen data includes names, surnames, job titles, background information, entity names, and reasons for inclusion in the list. It contains records of individuals, diplomats, government officials, private companies, individuals involved in organized crime, intelligence operatives, suspected terrorists, and more.

In a separate post, GhostR revealed that the database was obtained after attackers breached Mustafa Centre, a Singapore-based 24-hour shopping mall that used the database. LSEG acquired the database after purchasing its creator, the financial data provider Refinitiv.

The LSEG World-Check database is used for “know your customer” checks to comply with regulations and avoid partnerships with entities involved in financial crime, terrorism, or illicit activities. The incident has raised concerns about data security and the protection of sensitive information.