What was the Ashley Madison scandal?

The Ashley Madison scandal, which erupted in 2015, centered on the hacking of a website known for promoting extramarital affairs named Ashley Madison. This event sent shockwaves across the internet when a group calling themselves "The Impact Team" breached the site's security and accessed its user database containing confidential information of millions of users. The hackers threatened to release personal data including names, email addresses, and credit card information unless the website was shut down. Despite Avid Life Media (the parent company) and Ashley Madison's efforts to mitigate the situation, the hackers ultimately exposed data for over 30 million users, leading to widespread public embarrassment and legal ramifications. The breach raised serious privacy concerns and highlighted vulnerabilities in online data security, emphasizing the risks associated with entrusting personal details to internet services.