Skip to main content

Kanopy privacy breach reveals which movies members have been streaming

Free movie streaming site Kanopy has suffered a significant data leak, according to security researcher Justin Paine. Due to an unprotected web log database, which could be publicly accessed without authentication of any kind, Paine believes that the company has been leaking “roughly 26-40 million log lines per day beginning March 7th.”

Though Kanopy has now fixed the problem, the exposed data contained a great deal of information about the people who use the service to stream content. Geolocation, timestamp, device type, IP address, and the URLs of accessed files were all part of the available records. Paine claims that it’s detailed enough that, “it likely would have been possible to identify the identity of a person,” and figure out what that person had been watching online.

It’s unclear if the leaked data has been put to any malicious use, but Paine thinks the possibility exists: “Depending on the videos being watched — that potentially could be embarrassing information.”

Similar types of leaks have been occurring at a steady pace recently. Just this week, Facebook admitted to storing millions of users passwords as plain text, meaning that anyone with access to the records could read and copy the passwords without needing to decrypt them. Last year, Facebook-owned Instagram reported a password breach too. Around the same time, video game developer Bethesda acknowledged that the personal information of its Fallout 76 players was accidentally leaked.

The Kanopy leak, while not quite as serious given what was exposed, should nonetheless serve as a reminder to any company that stores potentially sensitive personal info — even something as seemingly harmless as an IP address — that this data must be sufficiently protected from prying eyes.

Kanopy partners with local libraries and other public institutions to provide free access to old movies, documentaries, and a variety of other video content to people with valid library cards. It’s similar to Hoopla, operating internationally, and recently added the Toronto Public Library to its roster. With a collection of more than 30,000 titles, it’s a good option for those looking for free alternatives to Netflix and Amazon. In light of this leak, partner institutions may want to investigate what precautions Kanopy is now taking (if any) to avoid something similar happening in the future.

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
This JBL waterproof Bluetooth speaker is 43% off right now
JBL Xtreme 2 on a beach.

Bring the party with you wherever you go with a portable Bluetooth speaker like the JBL Xtreme 2, which is currently on sale from Best Buy at 43% off. From its original price of $350, it's down to a more affordable $200 for savings of $150. We're not sure how much time is remaining for you to take advantage of this offer though, so if you're interested, you're going to have to proceed with the transaction as soon as possible. The bargain may be gone by tomorrow, so complete the purchase today if you can.

Why you should buy the JBL Xtreme 2 Bluetooth speaker
JBL is one of the best speaker brands with portable audio as its calling card, so it's not a surprise that there are multiple JBL devices in our roundup of the best Bluetooth speakers. The JBL Xtreme 2 isn't the latest version in its line -- the JBL Xtreme 4 has already been released -- but it's still a fantastic Bluetooth speaker by today's standards with powerful audio using your mobile device as the source. If you prefer a wired connection over Bluetooth, the JBL Xtreme 2 also offers auxiliary audio input.

Read more
Apple’s AirPods Pro earbuds are back at their cheapest-ever price
Apple AirPods Pro 2 inside their charging case, near iPhone 14.

The second-generation Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C are back down to their cheapest-ever price of $189 on Amazon, for savings of $60 on their sticker price of $249. If you don't own the wireless earbuds yet, or if you're thinking about upgrading from an older model, here's another chance at this discount. However, like with most AirPods deals, we don't think it will last long, so if you want to take advantage of the bargain, you're going to have to proceed with the purchase right away.

Why you should buy the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C are featured in our list of the best wireless earbuds as the top choice for Apple fans, partly because of how easy it is to pair them with an iPhone or iPad. Just open their charging case, hold it close to your device, and you're done after a few taps. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 also offer solid audio quality with the capability for wireless lossless audio and Apple's immersive Spatial Audio, so you'll enjoy your favorite music even more.

Read more
Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are back at their Black Friday price
Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones seen in silver.

Here's a highly recommended offer from Crutchfield if you're on the lookout for headphone deals -- the Sony WH-1000XM5 for $328, which is what they were going for during last year's Black Friday. If you weren't able to buy them for this cheap for any reason, here's another chance at the $70 discount on their original price of $398. We're not sure how long stocks will last though, so if you want to buy these wireless headphones for a more affordable price, you're going to have to add them to your cart and check out as soon as possible.

Why you should buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones
There are multiple reasons why the Sony WH-1000XM5 reign supreme in our roundup of the best headphones, but it all begins with its impressive active noise cancellation that allows them to stand out among other wireless headphones. They're very comfortable to wear, so you'll be able to maximize their long battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge with ANC activated and up to 40 hours without it, and they'll allow you to call up Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant through voice commands.

Read more