2026 Fowler — stalkerware DB exposed 86,859 screenshots; celebrity/influencer chats leaked
Data compromised
86,859 device screenshots: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok chats with celebrities/influencers; IDs, invoices, phone numbers
Technical writeup
Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler discovered a publicly accessible, non-password-protected database containing 86,859 screenshots apparently collected by stalkerware installed on a single prominent European celebrity’s device. ExpressVPN (April 30, 2026) and ITWire (June 11, 2026) reported the leak exposed private chats with models, influencers, and celebrities across Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok, plus documents, phone numbers, and emails of third parties who never consented to surveillance. Fowler notified law enforcement and the primary victim; the database appeared operated by the stalker—not the spyware brand whose name appeared on the bucket. BreachHistory indexes 86,859 exposed screenshot files; indirect contact exposure spans an unknown number of individuals.
Root cause
Misconfigured cloud database storing stalkerware screenshots from one compromised device—not a vendor SaaS breach
References
- https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/celebrities-stalkerware-data-exposed/
- https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/celebrities-and-influencers-private-communications-exposed-in-stalkerware-data-breach
- https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/stalkerware-data-leak-screenshots-celebrities-exposed