# Applebee’s Android app exposed customer database password, researcher finds

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/applebees-exposed-customers-personal-data-after-leaving-database-password-in-app/
- Published: 2026-10-30T21:48:53+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T22:07:33+00:00
- Original publisher: TechCrunch
- Original article: https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/30/applebees-exposed-customers-personal-data-after-leaving-database-password-in-app/
- Topics: Software, Technology

## Key points

- A password in Applebee’s Android app exposed access to its customer database.
- The data included contact details, birth dates and recent login IP addresses.
- Dine Brands says it found no evidence of unauthorised access; the investigation continues.

## Summary

Applebee’s fixed a flaw in its Android app that exposed a password for an internal customer database, allowing anyone who extracted it to access customer information. The incident matters because the credential could also have enabled changes to customer records, although the company says it has found no evidence of unauthorised access.

UK-based researcher Robert Wiggins found the password in the app’s source code with help from AI, and TechCrunch verified that it could retrieve test account data. The database included names, email addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, postcodes, veteran status, account details and recent login IP addresses. The number of affected customers is unclear; Applebee’s had at least 8.5 million rewards members last year, and Dine Brands said its investigation is ongoing.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.