Data leak: 71 million online credentials exposed

According to the latest revelations from Troy Hunt of 'Have I Been Pwned?', 71 million user credentials belonging to major platforms such as Facebook, Roblox and others have emerged online. This information was spread via the hacker forum Breach Forums. With 319 files totaling 104 GB, the scope of this breach is notable and deserves in-depth analysis to understand the impact on cybersecurity.

Detail of the compromised information

The leaked data collection includes a sizable volume of email addresses, with over 70 million digital identities exposed. From a random selection of 1000 samples, Hunt identified that more than 65% of the emails were already present in the HIBP database. A worrying detail emerged: around 25 million passwords were in unencrypted form, an unusual detail that underlines the seriousness of the data breach.

Making contact and verifying authenticity

A confirmation of the authenticity of the breach came following a straightforward process: Hunt contacted some owners of the leaked email addresses, who reconfirmed the validity of the listed credentials. This has raised further concerns about the security of personal information online and has once again highlighted the importance of verifying the security of your credentials.

Tips for protecting your online credentials

The passwords included in the data leak appear to have been the subject of "credential stuffing", a type of attack in which previously stolen credentials are used for unauthorized access. To increase your digital security, it is suggested to use strong keywords, composed of a variety of characters and periodically updated. Furthermore, the adoption of advanced security measures such as two-factor authentication and Passkeys, which represent the new industrial standard against sophisticated phishing and data compromise techniques, becomes essential.