---
title: AO3 is offline after a security incident; OTW says it can't rule out theft of the user database (usernames, emails, IPs, password hashes) and expects 2 to 4 weeks of downtime | ctxsec
url: https://ctxsec.com/items/ao3-security-incident-offline-2-4-weeks-user-db-not-ruled-out
description: ""
status: "official (Organization for Transformative Works status page and AO3 Status on X); early investigation, scope not yet known"
published: 2026-10-30
---

> 

[← Cybersecurity News](/news) · [markdown](/items/ao3-security-incident-offline-2-4-weeks-user-db-not-ruled-out.md)

official (Organization for Transformative Works status page and AO3 Status on X); early investigation, scope not yet known

2026-10-30

### AO3 is offline after a security incident; OTW says it can't rule out theft of the user database (usernames, emails, IPs, password hashes) and expects 2 to 4 weeks of downtime

The Organization for Transformative Works took Archive of Our Own (AO3) down on Oct 29 and later said it had detected evidence of a **security incident**. In its Oct 30 update (about 9:27 PM ET Oct 29), OTW says no AO3 data was deleted and works, bookmarks and kudos are safe, but while it does not currently believe the user database was stolen, it **cannot rule it out**. That database holds usernames, email addresses, IP addresses and hashed passwords. AO3 does not collect real names, and donor data is in a separate system that OTW says was not exposed.

OTW expects AO3 to stay down for **at least two weeks and possibly up to four**, perhaps returning earlier in a degraded or read-only state. **Do now if you have an account:** change the password anywhere you reused your AO3 password, and expect phishing that uses the incident as a lure; follow only otwstatus.org and AO3's official accounts. No attacker or entry point has been disclosed.

Sources: [OTW Status: AO3 Down for Maintenance, incident report (update posted Oct 30, 01:27 UTC)](https://www.otwstatus.org/incidents/g12jnxck9g6h) · [AO3 Status on X: security incident detected (Oct 30)](https://x.com/AO3_Status/status/2115982211765748184)