From Dating Apps to Bakeries: Cybercriminals Cast a Wider Net

What do your dating preferences and your lunch orders have in common? Apparently, they're both valuable enough for cybercriminals to steal.

Bloomberg News reports that dating apps Bumble and Match, bakery chain Panera Bread, and startup database CrunchBase have all been hit by cyberattacks. At first glance, these companies seem to have nothing in common—but that might be exactly the point.

The New Economics of Data Theft

Traditional cyberattacks focused on obvious targets: banks, payment processors, and tech giants with clear financial assets. But this wave of attacks reveals a more sophisticated understanding of data value. Hackers aren't just after credit card numbers anymore—they want your personality profile, your eating habits, and your professional network.

This shift reflects how personal data has become the new currency of the digital economy. Your Bumble swipes reveal relationship patterns, Panera purchases show lifestyle choices, and CrunchBase activity indicates professional interests. Combined, this information creates a detailed behavioral map that's worth more than traditional financial data to the right buyer.

The attacks suggest cybercriminals are thinking like marketers: comprehensive customer profiles are more valuable than isolated data points. Why steal a credit card when you can understand someone well enough to manipulate them indefinitely?

Beyond the Immediate Victims

These attacks ripple far beyond the targeted companies. Dating app breaches can expose not just users but their potential matches, creating a network effect of compromised privacy. Restaurant chain attacks affect loyalty program members, payment processors, and even delivery partners.

For investors and business leaders, the incidents highlight a uncomfortable truth: no industry is immune. If hackers are targeting bakeries alongside tech companies, the traditional risk assessment models need updating. The question isn't whether your industry is a target—it's whether you've prepared for when, not if, you become one.

The Regulatory Response Gap

Current data protection laws weren't designed for this interconnected threat landscape. GDPR and similar regulations focus on individual company responsibilities, but they struggle to address attacks that span multiple platforms and data types.

The attacks also expose the limitations of consumer choice in data protection. Users can't opt out of being targeted if their data is already compromised elsewhere. Even the most privacy-conscious individual becomes vulnerable when their information exists across dozens of platforms.