According to TechCrunch it is not uncommon for Chinese citizens to be required to upload a copy of their ID card as part of the process when importing products from abroad. Unfortunately this database was not protected with a password allowing anyone with knowledge of its IP address to easily access it. At this time we do not know if any malicious actors discovered the database prior to the researchers or if it has been utilized in phishing attacks or identity theft incidents. However we do know that the owners promptly secured it once they were notified.
