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Dark Web Site DogeQuest Targets Tesla Owners Using Data from ParkMobile Breach

 

A disturbing dark web website known as DogeQuest has surfaced, targeting Tesla owners and associates of Elon Musk by publishing their personal information. The data used on the site appears to have been sourced largely from a 2021 breach of the ParkMobile app, which affected over 21 million users. 

According to privacy research group ObscureIQ, 98.2% of the individuals listed on DogeQuest can be matched to victims of the ParkMobile hack. The site initially operated on the surface web but now functions under a .onion domain, which anonymizes its hosting and complicates takedown efforts by authorities. The purpose of DogeQuest is masked as an “artistic protest” platform, encouraging acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles. 

Although the site claims neutrality by stating it does not endorse or condemn actions taken, it openly hosts names, home addresses, contact details, and even employment information of more than 1,700 individuals. These include not only Tesla drivers but also DOGE employees, their families, and high-profile individuals from the military, cybersecurity, and diplomatic sectors. The website’s presence has allegedly been linked to real-world vandalism, prompting federal investigations into its operations. 

ObscureIQ’s analysis reveals that the core data used by DogeQuest includes email addresses, phone numbers, and license plate details—information originally accessed through ParkMobile’s compromised Amazon Web Services cloud storage. While ParkMobile claimed at the time that no financial data was exposed, the combination of breached user data and information purchased from data brokers has been enough to target individuals effectively. 

A class-action lawsuit against ParkMobile later resulted in a $32 million settlement for failing to secure user data. Despite the gravity of the situation, no other public reporting had directly connected DogeQuest to the ParkMobile breach until ObscureIQ’s findings were shared. The doxxing platform has evolved into a larger campaign, now also publishing details of prominent federal employees and private sector figures. A spreadsheet reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation highlights how widespread and strategic the targeting has become, with individuals from sensitive fields like defense contracting and public health policy among the victims. 

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DOJ, are now actively investigating both the digital and physical components of this campaign. Just last week, the Department of Justice charged three individuals suspected of attacking Tesla vehicles and infrastructure across multiple states. However, officials have not yet confirmed a direct link between these suspects and DogeQuest. The FBI has also noted a troubling increase in swatting incidents aimed at DOGE staff and affiliates, indicating that the site’s influence may extend beyond digital harassment into coordinated real-world disruptions. 

With DogeQuest continuing to evade takedown attempts due to its anonymized hosting, federal authorities face an uphill battle in curbing the campaign. ParkMobile has so far declined to comment on the matter. As the scope and sophistication of this doxxing effort grow, it underscores the lingering impact of data breaches and the increasing challenges in protecting personal information in the digital age.

ParkMobile Data Breach: 21Million User Data Exposed

 

Due to a data breach, the account details of 21 million customers of ParkMobile, a prominent mobile parking app in North America, are now being sold online. The data includes customer email addresses, date of birth, phone numbers, license plate numbers, hashed passwords, and mailing addresses.

ParkMobile issued a statement regarding the cybersecurity incident in March, stating that it was caused by a vulnerability in third-party applications employed by them. 

The sources state, “In response, we immediately launched an investigation with the assistance of a leading cybersecurity firm to address the incident. Out of an abundance of caution, we have also notified the appropriate law enforcement authorities. The investigation is ongoing, and we are limited in the details we can provide at this time. Our investigation indicates that no sensitive data or Payment Card Information, which we encrypt, was affected. Meanwhile, we have taken additional precautionary steps since learning of the incident, including eliminating the third-party vulnerability, maintaining our security, and continuing to monitor our systems.”  

When asked for clarification on what information the attackers gained access to, ParkMobile reported that it included basic account information such as license plate numbers, email addresses and/or phone numbers if given, and vehicle nickname. 

ParkMobile does not store user passwords, but rather it stores the output of a fairly robust one-way password hashing algorithm called bcrypt, which is much more resource-intensive and expensive to crack than common alternatives like MD5. The database stolen from ParkMobile and put up for sale includes each user’s bcrypt hash. 

According to the source, the company stated, “In keeping with our commitment to transparency, we want to share an update on the cybersecurity incident we announced last month. Our investigation concluded that encrypted passwords, but not the encryption keys needed to read them, were accessed.”

“While we protect user passwords by encrypting them with advanced hashing and salting technologies, as an added precaution, users may consider changing their passwords in the “Settings” section of the ParkMobile app or by clicking this link. Our investigation has confirmed that basic user information – license plate numbers and, if provided by the user, email addresses and/or phone numbers, and vehicle nicknames – was accessed.”

“In a small percentage of cases, mailing addresses were affected. No credit cards or parking transaction history was accessed, and we do not collect Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, or dates of birth. Please rest assured we take seriously our responsibility to safeguard the security of our users’ information and appreciate your continued trust,” the company further added. 

In these cases, changing the account password and other credentials may be the best course of action, as good credential hygiene may be the key to keeping the data secure.