# Where is the Ashley Madison hacked data being posted? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850 "2015-07-22T03:19:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/1 "2015-07-22T03:19:51Z")
Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/2 "2015-07-22T03:52:43Z")
I think you need a long conversation with your SO. 😃 The various reports I have read are silent on this issue and as this was infact a crime (despite targeting some very dubious characters), might not be the best idea to go looking for it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/3 "2015-07-22T04:09:55Z")
See here’s the thing. If a tree falls in the woods, but no one’s able to actually sort through the pages upon pages of data to see which of their friends and family are lying, cheating dirtbags, did it really fall? And who gives a shit if it did, since no one can see it? Not saying I want to actually see it, but there’s all these stories of a tree that someone claims to have chopped down, but has anyone actually seen the evidence? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/4 "2015-07-22T04:11:03Z")
The full data has not been publically posted. Apparently 40MB was posted but has now been taken down. > **[Adultery site Ashley Madison hacked, user data leaked](https://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/20/adultery-site-ashley-madison-hacked-personal-data-leaked.html)** > > Hackers have stolen and leaked the personal details of users of Ashley Madison – a site that hooks up people who want to have affairs. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/5 "2015-07-22T04:34:21Z")
I have heard about or seen any credit card data, just some of the profile information. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/6 "2015-07-22T04:39:52Z")
There is a range of speculation as to what is going on. Enough data was posted to prove that a breach of significant proportions had occurred. But this is a blackmail/extortion bid, so they are not looking to post all the data - it rather defeats the purpose. Once posted you have no further leverage. Whether the real aim of the exercise is to simply shut down the site, or (more likely in some opinions) slowly bleed money from as many people as possible, is unknown. But a successful blackmail attempt does not lead to posting of the information. Only the data on those that did not yield to the blackmailer’s demands. This assumes that the blackmailer is to some extent trustworthy (which rather by definition they are not) but publishing the data of people who pay up in not good for future business. There is some speculation that this is an inside job. If it is, tracking down the perpetrator may be a lot easier. That may focus the tactics of a blackmailer significantly. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/7 "2015-07-22T04:44:28Z")
I really feel sorry for the victims of the Ashley Madison hack. This must feel like such a terrible violation of their trust. [sub]I really wish I thought of that myself[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/8 "2015-07-22T04:50:09Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I really feel sorry for the victims of the Ashley Madison hack. This must feel like such a terrible violation of their trust. > > [sub]I really wish I thought of that myself[/sub] I have read that a significant portion of the membership is basically looking for NSA sex, and is not actually in a relationship. So many people are just “innocent” OTH, yeah its good to see those smug bastards who run the site squirm. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/9 "2015-07-22T06:41:53Z")
That’s what the Ashley Madison site is?! Cheating on your SO? I’ve seen, ah, I mean _my friend’s_ seen that site pop open in a tab all the time. I, I mean _he_, thought it was just more porn\*!\* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/10 "2015-07-22T07:21:32Z")
I thought the Ashley Madison site has been hacked story was going to be more fun. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/11 "2015-07-22T08:06:33Z")
I have a free profile. I have never cheated. I guarantee you there are more cheaters on Match, OkCupid, Facebook, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/12 "2015-07-22T09:14:52Z")
Would the real damage be the revelation that it’s just yet another sausage fest? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/13 "2015-07-22T13:54:25Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I have a free profile. I have never cheated. > > I guarantee you there are more cheaters on Match, OkCupid, Facebook, etc. By that do you mean that AM had more spammers or something because otherwise there is no way that that’s true. While there are plenty of cheaters on Match and Cupid, the whole purpose of AM is to enable cheaters. Or maybe you are talking about raw numbers which would certainly make it true about Facebook if you’re being pedantic. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/14 "2015-07-22T16:36:20Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > I have read that a significant portion of the membership is basically looking for NSA sex NSA sex? Masturbating while the NSA monitors you? That’s pretty kinky. Or does the NSA have teledildonic capabilities now? Just for fun I opened the spell checker on teledildonic. It offered only one option: dicotyledon. Kinky indeed. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/15 "2015-07-22T16:55:05Z")
I apologize in advance for a hijack, but I’ve never understood- do men who want to cheat pay Ashley Madison to fix them up with women who want to cheat? Or do they make their money some other way? I don’t doubt there are slimy husbands out there, but I never trusted Ashley Madison’s claims of huge numbers of clients. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/16 "2015-07-22T17:16:52Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Would the real damage be the revelation that it’s just yet another sausage fest? I thought that was pretty common knowledge. Interesting, as I never really thought much about Ashley Madison (even though their on-line ads pop-up often on “dodgy” websites), as I was searching around to substantiate the above claim, [I learned about Ashley’s Angels](http://www.businessinsider.com/are-ashley-madisons-fake-profiles-legal-2013-11) > [@](#): > > The purpose of our Ashley’s Angels is to provide entertainment, to allow you to explore our Services and to promote greater participation in our Services. Ashley’s Angels attempt to simulate communications with real members to encourage more conversation and interaction with users… > \ > You acknowledge and agree that the descriptions, pictures and information included in the profiles of our Ashley’s Angels are not associated with a real person, but are provided primarily for your amusement. So, the site explicitly states that it contains fake profiles. I guess that’s more honest than the innumerable inactive/never-activated profiles littering [Match.com](http://Match.com), et. al. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/17 "2015-07-22T18:10:06Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I apologize in advance for a hijack, but I’ve never understood- do men who want to cheat pay Ashley Madison to fix them up with women who want to cheat? Or do they make their money some other way? > > I don’t doubt there are slimy husbands out there, but I never trusted Ashley Madison’s claims of huge numbers of clients. It’s pretty much like [match.com](http://match.com). People make profiles and pay a monthly fee for their profile to be active and able to send and receive mail. The difference is that it caters to people who are in relationships and want to be “discreet”. There are also people on there who are single but for whatever reason want to hook up with married people. I have one friend who was single at the time and claims to have successfully met up with a married woman for sex. He said that a large number of the female profiles are actually hookers who want to add to their clientele. If it weren’t for the working ladies, the male to female ratio would be worse than a Rush concert. There are probably loads of inactive profiles up there too but that is true of any dating site. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/18 "2015-07-22T18:21:59Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/19 "2015-07-22T18:39:07Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I never trusted Ashley Madison’s claims of huge numbers of clients. I suspect that some of the accounts are trolls signing up people at random just to stir shit if and when somebody the victim knew stumbled upon the account. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850/20 "2015-07-22T18:42:30Z")
I had heard of the site but know nothing of its operation. Are you telling me people use their real names on it?! And I though it was a pay site, so how could a troll sign up people? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-ashley-madison-hacked-data-being-posted/725850.md?page=2)