Security research lab CovertLabs has uncovered Firehound, a repository exposing data from 198 iOS apps, primarily AI-related. The project identifies apps with improperly secured databases, leaking names, emails, and chat history. One app, "Chat & Ask AI," alone exposed over 406 million records from 18 million users, including 380 million private messages.

This discovery highlights a critical failure in app security, especially among low-barrier-to-entry AI applications. Developers often prioritize rapid deployment over data protection, leaving sensitive user information vulnerable. The breach spans multiple categories, including Education and Health & Fitness, showing the problem is widespread across the App Store ecosystem.

Firehound’s registry is intentionally limited to protect sensitive data. Access requires registration and manual review, prioritizing journalists and security professionals. This incident serves as a stark reminder for users to scrutinize app permissions and for developers to enforce robust security, regardless of how easily apps can be built and published.