Terms of use | Leak Database

1. Agreement to these terms

These terms govern your use of www.leakdatabase.com and its services (the “service”), operated by Leak Database (“we”, “us”). By using the service you agree to these terms and to our Privacy policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the service.

2. About the service

Leak Database records information about data breaches that have been publicly released and lets you check whether an email address appears in breach data we have indexed. We index identifiers only. We do not host, sell or distribute breach data, and we will not provide copies of breached records.

3. Acceptable use

You agree to use the service lawfully and only to check email addresses that belong to you, or that you are authorised to check — for example, as the administrator of your organisation’s accounts. You must not:

use the service to identify, track, harass, defraud, phish or otherwise target any person;
query the service by automated means — including bots, scripts or scrapers — or attempt to download or compile our data, except through an API we have authorised you to use;
attempt to bypass or interfere with our rate limits, security controls or access restrictions;
probe, scan or test the vulnerability of the service without our written permission;
upload or send malicious code, or anything that could damage or overload the service; or
use the service in any way that breaches the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013, the Cybercrimes Act, 2020, or any other law.

If you discover a security vulnerability, please report it to us through our contact page and give us reasonable time to fix it before disclosing it.

4. Accounts and memberships

Some features, such as full breach details, are available only to registered members. When you create an account you must give accurate information and keep your login details confidential. You are responsible for all activity on your account, and you must tell us promptly if you suspect unauthorised use.

Membership options, prices (including VAT, where applicable), billing periods and payment methods are shown before you pay. Payments are processed by third-party payment providers. You may cancel a recurring membership at any time from your account; cancellation stops future renewals, and access continues until the end of the period already paid for.

Where section 44 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 (ECTA) applies, you may cancel a membership without reason or penalty within seven days after the agreement is concluded, and we will refund payments made within 30 days of cancellation, less the direct cost of returning anything (if applicable). Nothing in these terms limits any other rights you have under ECTA or the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (CPA).

Accounts are not intended for anyone under 18.

5. Accuracy of results

Search results reflect only the breach data we have indexed. A “not found” result does not mean your information has never been exposed, and a “found” result reflects how the information appeared in the breach data, which we cannot always independently verify. Breach details such as dates, record counts and data types are compiled from available information and may be incomplete or change as more becomes known. We do our best to keep the service accurate and up to date.

6. Not professional advice

Guidance on the service, such as how to protect yourself after a breach, is general information. It is not legal, financial or professional security advice. For advice about your specific circumstances, please consult a qualified professional.

7. Intellectual property

The website, its design, text, graphics, software and the way our database is compiled and organised belong to us or our licensors and are protected by law. You may view and use the service for your own personal or internal business purposes. You may not copy, reproduce, republish or commercially exploit any part of it without our written permission.

8. Third-party links

The service may link to other websites. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content, availability or privacy practices.

9. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

To the extent permitted by law, the service is provided “as is” and “as available”, without guarantees that it will be uninterrupted, error-free or complete.

To the extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss or damage — including loss of data, profit, business or goodwill — arising from your use of, or inability to use, the service, or from reliance on any result or information it provides.

Where we are liable, and to the extent permitted by law, our total liability to you is limited to the amount you paid us for the service in the 12 months before the claim arose.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited by law, including under the CPA, or liability for our gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

10. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you indemnify us against claims, losses and costs (including reasonable legal costs) arising from your breach of these terms or your misuse of the service.

11. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or end your access to the service — including blocking searches or closing an account — if we reasonably believe you have breached these terms, to protect other people or the service, or where the law requires it. Where appropriate, we will tell you why. You may close your account at any time.

12. Privacy

Our Privacy policy explains how we process personal information, including breach data, searches and account information, and how to exercise your rights.

13. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of the South African courts. If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest remains in force.

14. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The “last updated” date shows when they were last changed. Continued use of the service after an update means you accept the updated terms. If you have a paid membership, material changes will apply from your next billing period, and we will give you notice by email.

15. Legal information

The following information is provided in terms of section 43 of ECTA:

Trading name: Leak Database
Legal name: [to be completed: legal name]
Legal status: [to be completed: legal status]
Registration number: [to be completed: registration number]
Directors: [to be completed: directors / office bearers]
Physical address and address for legal service: [to be completed: physical address]
Telephone: [to be completed: telephone number]
Email: info@leakdatabase.com
Website: https://www.leakdatabase.com

Questions about these terms? Contact us.