Close Menu
TechurzTechurz

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    Buying an Android smartwatch? I found a model that’s highly functional and affordable

    October 13, 2025

    WhatsApp Worm, Critical CVEs, Oracle 0-Day, Ransomware Cartel & More

    October 13, 2025

    Aisuru’s 30 Tbps botnet traffic crashes through major US ISPs

    October 13, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Buying an Android smartwatch? I found a model that’s highly functional and affordable
    • WhatsApp Worm, Critical CVEs, Oracle 0-Day, Ransomware Cartel & More
    • Aisuru’s 30 Tbps botnet traffic crashes through major US ISPs
    • See It Here First at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
    • Final Flash Sale: Save up to $624 on Disrupt 2025 Passes
    • I tested a Windows laptop with a tandem OLED, and it’s spoiled working on other displays for me
    • Why Unmonitored JavaScript Is Your Biggest Holiday Security Risk
    • German state replaces Microsoft Exchange and Outlook with open-source email
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest Vimeo
    TechurzTechurz
    • Home
    • AI
    • Apps
    • News
    • Guides
    • Opinion
    • Reviews
    • Security
    • Startups
    TechurzTechurz
    Home»Security»Adoption Agency Data Exposure Revealed Information About Children and Parents
    Security

    Adoption Agency Data Exposure Revealed Information About Children and Parents

    TechurzBy TechurzJuly 16, 2025No Comments3 Mins Read
    Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
    Adoption Agency Data Exposure Revealed Information About Children and Parents
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The adoption process is inherently sensitive, involving deeply personal information about children, birth parents, adoptive parents, and other caregivers. So when longtime data-breach hunter and security researcher Jeremiah Fowler came across a publicly accessible database online at the end of June that seemed to contain information related to adoption, he was instantly concerned.

    Fowler scrambled to identify the owner of the database, which he concluded was the largely Texas-based nonprofit Gladney Center for Adoption. He then worked to notify the organization about the exposed data on June 25 but received no reply. He attempted notification again on June 26, and within a few hours the database was silently secured—hopefully before anyone else was able to access it.

    Misconfigured databases are common online, even after years of effort to raise awareness about the issue, making information accessible to whoever comes across it. Fowler was particularly alarmed to see adoption-related data, though, because the trove included details like the identities of some children’s biological parents, data on individuals’ medical and mental health status, information about interactions with Child Protective Services, and even records referencing court orders. The database also included more typical personally identifying information like names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and unique identifiers assigned to children’s cases. Fowler was ultimately able to trace the database to Gladney, because it also contained information about some of the organization’s employees.

    “This is the first time in all of my research that I’ve seen adoption data, and it stood out because a lot of these kids are very vulnerable,” Fowler tells WIRED. “I believe that this data was exposed during the move to a different system and that it was up for a few days before I found it. So I go to sleep at night hoping I got to it before the bad guys did.”

    Fowler says that the data appeared to be from a customer relationship management, or CRM, system that is used to organize client data in businesses and other organizations. The trove contained more than 1.1 million records and was 2.49 GB.

    “The Gladney Center for Adoption takes security seriously. We always work with the assistance of external information technology experts to conduct a detailed investigation into any incident. Data integrity and operations are our top priority,” chief operating officer Lisa Schuessler wrote in a statement. “With any incident, we work with law enforcement and comply with applicable laws and regulations, and in the case of any determination of sensitive information within our possession being impacted, we notify all impacted individuals.”

    When asked whether this should be taken as confirmation that Gladney secured the exposed database found by Fowler and is notifying individuals whose data was included, Schuessler referred WIRED to Gladney’s initial response. That statement also noted that Gladney is “constantly taking additional steps to further strengthen and bolster our systems to ensure our networks and the information entrusted to us is secure.”

    adoption Agency children data exposure information Parents revealed
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleHawley, Who Voted To Slash Medicaid, Introduces Bill To Reverse Cuts
    Next Article Claude Code’s new tool is all about maximizing ROI in your organization – how to try it
    Techurz
    • Website

    Related Posts

    Security

    Buying an Android smartwatch? I found a model that’s highly functional and affordable

    October 13, 2025
    Security

    WhatsApp Worm, Critical CVEs, Oracle 0-Day, Ransomware Cartel & More

    October 13, 2025
    Security

    Aisuru’s 30 Tbps botnet traffic crashes through major US ISPs

    October 13, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Top Posts

    The Reason Murderbot’s Tone Feels Off

    May 14, 20259 Views

    Start Saving Now: An iPhone 17 Pro Price Hike Is Likely, Says New Report

    August 17, 20258 Views

    CNET’s Daily Tariff Price Tracker: I’m Keeping Tabs on Changes as Trump’s Trade Policies Shift

    May 27, 20258 Views
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    • WhatsApp
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Latest Reviews

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest tech news from FooBar about tech, design and biz.

    Most Popular

    The Reason Murderbot’s Tone Feels Off

    May 14, 20259 Views

    Start Saving Now: An iPhone 17 Pro Price Hike Is Likely, Says New Report

    August 17, 20258 Views

    CNET’s Daily Tariff Price Tracker: I’m Keeping Tabs on Changes as Trump’s Trade Policies Shift

    May 27, 20258 Views
    Our Picks

    Buying an Android smartwatch? I found a model that’s highly functional and affordable

    October 13, 2025

    WhatsApp Worm, Critical CVEs, Oracle 0-Day, Ransomware Cartel & More

    October 13, 2025

    Aisuru’s 30 Tbps botnet traffic crashes through major US ISPs

    October 13, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    © 2025 techurz. Designed by Pro.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.