Overview
- Cybernews researchers identified roughly 16 billion credentials across 30 briefly exposed datasets tied to Google, Facebook, Apple and government services.
- The breach resulted from infostealer malware harvesting login data from infected devices and unsecured databases rather than direct platform hacks.
- Compromised records include URLs, usernames, passwords, session cookies and metadata that heighten risks of account takeover and identity theft.
- Google has urged users to change their passwords, and the FBI has cautioned against opening suspicious links in text messages following the exposure.
- Security specialists recommend changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication or passkeys and using password managers to limit ongoing threats.