A recent report indicates a massive leak of over 16 billion user credentials from leading online services, which may have serious implications for user security.
Volume and Sources of Data Leaks
According to the Cybernews team, over 30 datasets each contain tens of millions to more than 3.5 billion records. Altogether, this results in approximately 16 billion leaks. 'Most of the databases contain an average of 550 million records, while the smallest holds over 16 million.'
Online Services Affected
The leak has impacted numerous popular services such as Apple, Facebook, and Google, as well as GitHub and Telegram. The data includes token, cookie, and metadata dumps, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying solely on basic security measures.
Consequences for the Crypto Industry
Experts foresee an increase in account takeover attempts using the leaked data. Cryptocurrency platforms and exchanges may request users to change their passwords or take more drastic measures to prevent asset losses. This highlights the importance of employing multi-factor authentication and updating passwords.
The credential leak emphasizes the need for stricter security measures and updated authentication practices, particularly for cryptocurrency users.
