Although it went unnoticed at the time, Cybernews researchers have now discovered a leak of 16 billion login credentials that have been exposed, making it one of the largest breaches ever seen. What’s most disturbing is that this data most likely came from more than one hacker.
These are leaked usernames and passwords, which could be in 30 different databases, and which also appear to be recent and not from previous hacks. Cybercriminals have a wealth of information on them, and you could be one of those affected.
According to Cybernews researchers, this leak, dubbed the ‘Mother of all Breaches’ (MOAB) for its sheer scope, was detailed in a Cybernews report published on June 20 and is one of the largest reported in recent years.
This isn’t just a leak, but a plan for massive exploitation. With more than 16 billion login records exposed, cybercriminals now have unprecedented access to personal credentials that can be used for account takeovers, identity theft, and highly targeted phishing.
Has your password been leaked?
These include passwords for all kinds of services, from social media to developer portals to VPNs, among many others. They may have your Google, Telegram, Apple, or other passwords for the various services you’ve registered with. You could be attacked at any time, whether it hasn’t been done yet or never will be, but it’s best to be safe. If you’ve ever received a login code you don’t recognize and thought it was a mistake, it probably wasn’t.
Whether you notice anything suspicious or not, your data could be among those exposed. If you suspect anything, immediately change your password for your services, use a different one for each service, and even consider using a password manager. In the latter case, there’s no guarantee that you’re safe, since attackers can save your data for future use. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t notice anything unusual in a data breach like this, unless you see read emails or messages, someone appearing logged into your Telegram account when you weren’t there, or something similar.
Check your device for viruses, and see if there are any unfamiliar apps or apps that consume a lot of data or battery. You can do this from your phone’s app settings. Even if you don’t have one, it doesn’t mean your data couldn’t have been accessed at any time. Keep in mind that with so much leaked data, it’s very likely yours could have been exposed, so it’s best to take action and change your passwords immediately.
Another thing you can do is check if you’ve been featured in any data breaches using trusted tools like Have I Been Pwned (created by security expert Troy Hunt), where you can enter your email or password and see if you’ve been featured in any. This is the ultimate check to find out if your data is safe or not.
Since we recommend using strong passwords, one for each service, and changing them periodically for added security, we believe now is the best time to change yours, whether you suspect it’s been stolen or not. It won’t take long and will give you peace of mind.
