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16 Billion-Credential Leak Traced to Compilation of Old Breaches

Researchers say the trove was assembled from past leaks collected by infostealer malware, briefly accessible online before being secured

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16 billion Passwords and Usernames Leaked!  | Image: Unsplash
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Overview

  • Cybernews researchers first discovered a 184 million-record database in May and later uncovered 29 additional unreported datasets that together total 16 billion credentials.
  • The compromised records include login details for Apple, Google, Facebook, GitHub, Telegram and numerous government portals.
  • Security experts warn the organized and recent nature of the data greatly amplifies the potential for account takeovers, identity theft and targeted phishing.
  • Users are urged to change passwords, enable two-factor authentication and employ password managers while platforms update breach-monitoring tools.
  • The original hosts and controllers of the datasets remain unidentified as cybersecurity teams continue forensic investigations.