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DS Risk Warning: Cyber - 16 billion passwords exposed: how to protect yourself

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 20/06/25 


News and information is emerging, but not all at once strangely, of the above. We're delving further but decided to give you a 'heads up' and suggest you ensure your already existing best practice of changing passwords is actively pursued urgently.


We have found that Headlines are saying:


Were Facebook, Google, and Apple passwords leaked?


With a dataset containing 16 billion passwords, that’s equivalent to two leaked accounts for every person on the planet.


Nobody really knows how many duplicate records there are, as the leak comes from multiple datasets. However, some reporting by other media outlets can be quite misleading. Some claim that Facebook, Google, and Apple credentials were leaked. While that can’t completely be dismissed, such claims are felt to be somewhat inaccurate.


Huge datasets of passwords spill onto the dark web all the time, highlighting the need to change them regularly. This also demonstrates just how weak our passwords still are.


Last year, someone leaked the largest password compilation ever, with nearly ten billion unique passwords published online. Such leaks pose severe threats to people who are prone to reusing passwords.


Key points:


* The largest data breach in history involves 16 billion login credentials

* The records are scattered across 30 different databases, and some records are or might be overlapping

* The data most likely comes from various infostealers

* The data is recent, not merely recycled from old breaches

* Cybercriminals now have unprecedented access to personal credentials and could exploit them for account takeovers, identity theft, and targeted phishing attacks


Warning:


“This is not just a leak – it’s a blueprint for mass exploitation.


* It’s impossible to tell how many people or accounts are actually exposed.

* Even if you think you are immune to this or other leaks, go and reset your passwords just in case.

* Select strong, unique passwords that are not reused across multiple platforms

* Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible

* Closely monitor your accounts

* Contact your customer support in case of any suspicious activity - be vigilant.


Hope that helps?


Bill


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