When AI Hiring Meets Password '123456': The McHire Data Breach That Exposed Everything

McDonald's trusted an AI chatbot with 64 million job applications. Hackers needed just six keystrokes to access them all.

I've seen plenty of security failures, but this one takes the McFlurry. Security researchers just exposed how McDonald's AI hiring platform left millions of job seekers' data vulnerable—protected by a password that would embarrass a middle schooler: '123456'.

The platform, built by Paradox.ai, features an AI chatbot named Olivia that screens applicants through McHire.com. Researchers Ian Carroll and Sam Curry discovered they could access 64 million application records simply by guessing administrator credentials.

No multifactor authentication. No security checks. Just instant access to names, emails, phone numbers—everything applicants shared while desperately trying to explain their job experience to a confused chatbot.

The breach reveals a darker pattern in our rush to automate everything. We're handing over sensitive human moments, like job applications, to AI systems secured with less care than your Netflix account.This incident crystallizes three uncomfortable truths about our AI-powered future:

• Companies deploy AI for efficiency but forget basic security fundamentals
• The most vulnerable data often belongs to those seeking entry-level work
• Human oversight remains critical when machines handle human dignity

When we delegate human processes to machines, we inherit new responsibilities, not shed them. As we accelerate toward AI-mediated everything, here's my question: Should companies be required to match their security investment to their automation ambitions?

Read the full article on Wired.

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