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SoundCloud Data Breach and Service Disruption Following Cyberattack

SoundCloudcyberattackservice disruptionDDoSdisruptiondenial-of-servicebreachsecurity posturethreat detectionincident responselimited datauser data403 errorunauthorizedancillary service
Updated December 18, 2025 at 09:00 AM6 sources

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SoundCloud experienced a cyberattack that resulted in unauthorized access to an ancillary service dashboard, leading to the exposure of limited user data. The company confirmed that the attackers accessed email addresses and information already visible on public SoundCloud profiles, affecting approximately 20% of its user base—estimated at around 26 to 28 million accounts. SoundCloud stated that no sensitive data, such as financial or password information, was compromised. In response, the company activated its incident response protocols, engaged third-party cybersecurity experts, and implemented enhanced monitoring, threat detection, and access control measures.

Following the breach, SoundCloud faced multiple denial-of-service attacks that temporarily disrupted the platform's web availability. Additionally, a configuration change made during the incident response process inadvertently disrupted VPN access for users, resulting in widespread reports of 403 "forbidden" errors when attempting to connect via VPN. SoundCloud has since contained the unauthorized access and is working to restore full service, including VPN connectivity, while continuing to audit and reinforce its security posture.

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December 18, 2025 at 12:00 AM
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