Hackers have recently managed to steal the data of around 37 million subscribers from the Ashley Madison website, which promotes an adulterous lifestyle for married people. The perpetrators are demanding that the site is closed down for lying to its users.

NBC News reported that person or persons calling themselves "The Impact Team" have claimed responsibility for the online data breach. The group have reportedly claimed responsibility for similar attacks on two sister sites, "Established Men" and "Cougar Life." All three online sites are the property of Avid Life Media (ALM), a company based in Canada.

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To prove the legitimacy of their claims, the hackers published the credit card information of several users as well as a number of company data. The Impact Team have announced that all the stolen will be released unless the website is shutdown.

Although ALM has admitted that data have indeed been taken from their servers, the company claims to have been able to remove most, if not all, of the private data stolen by hackers.

The company says its techicians and local authorities are coordinating efforts to stop the online leaks and uncover the perpetrators. ALM has also promised to update its subscribers often.

The Ashley Madison site has achieved popularity and notoriety at the same time because of the seemingly scandalous service it provides. Subscribers are mostly married people who want to have an affair.

Market Watch reported that the site charges $19 to subscribers who want to remain anonymous by deleting their online profiles through its "Full Delete" option.

The Impact Team's online data breach seems to prove that the company may not have been truthful with its delete service. The hackers zeroed in on credit card information, which also has the personal contact information of card users, according to The Guardian.

The parent company of the hacked sites is reportedly looking into the possibility that hackers were able to steal the data through inside information.

Three years ago, the Ashley Madison site was criticized by online security experts over its laxity in securing the personal data of its subscribers.

TagsAshley Madison, Established Men, Cougar Life, Avid Media Life, ALM, infidelity site, adultery site, impact team, full delete, online data breach