Definition
Automated extraction of data from web platforms or APIs — often via repeated queries against public or semi-public endpoints — distinct from unauthorized server/database access (breach).
Key Points
- 2026-09: chess-com 7.3M record leak likely from large-scale scraping over 9 days, not database compromise (2026-09-14-chess-com-leak-ransomnews-primary)
- Incremental daily batches (72K–267K/day) with 7.4% duplicate users — signature of scheduled collection, not single export
- Precedent: 2023 Chess.com scrape of 828K records via find-friends abuse; platform stated “NOT a data breach”
- 99% of emails in HIBP matched prior breaches — supports external email list feeding enumeration
- Developers must implement rate limiting, enumeration resistance, and scraping monitoring