Snapchat, LinkedIn, More Hit By The 'Mother Of All Breaches'

Ransomware Malware Attack And Breach. Business Computer Hacked

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It may be time to change your passwords. According to multiple reports, the largest data breaches could compromise 26 billion records. They’re calling it the "Mother of All Breaches." The massive data leak revealed records from sites like LinkedIn, Snapchat, Venmo, Adobe, and X, formerly Twitter.

According to the data researchers from CyberNews, the compromised data includes more than just login credentials. They reported that much of it is "sensitive," "making it valuable for malicious actors."

"The dataset is extremely dangerous as threat actors could leverage the aggregated data for a wide range of attacks, including identity theft, sophisticated phishing schemes, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts," the researchers, comprised of cybersecurity expert Bob Dyachenko and the team at Cybernews.

How to check if you were breached?

Cybernews has compiled a searchable list online where users can look up potentially compromised sites. Users can also look up email addresses and phone numbers. You can use the Cybernews’ personal data leak checker.

What to do now?

"Victims need to be aware of the consequences of stolen passwords and make the necessary security updates in response," Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, told Forbes. He added, "This includes changing their passwords, being alert to phishing emails following the breach, and ensuring all accounts, whether affected or not, are equipped with two-factor authentication."

Many people use the same passwords across multiple platforms. This could lead to a user having multiple accounts compromised. If you’re thinking about changing your password, it’s best to avoid slightly changing your current password. According to Keeper Security, cybercriminals will also try different variations of verified credentials. They suggest having unique, random passwords, that are different for each account.

Interestingly, research shows that one-third of non-identical passwords are sub-variations of each other, and bots could crack thirty percent of these almost-identical passwords in less than 100 attempts. They can even attempt dozens of passwords a second.

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Kayla MorganWriter

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.