A report that independent cybersecurity -News -outlet cybernews released on Wednesday claimed that 16 billion login information had been exposed And put together online in data records, which gives cybercriminal access to accounts on online platforms such as Google, Apple and Facebook.
CBC News could not check the report independently, but cyber security experts say that the incident is another memory for people to change their passwords regularly and not to use the same for several platforms.
“About three or four times a year, take the passwords that are mainly contained in the social platforms, the places that you are happy to use and simply change these passwords and keep them fresh,” said Enza Alexander, Executive Vice President of ISA Cyber
“Don’t use what you used before. Use (passwords) with signs and numbers and are very clear.”
Alexander confirmed that this is more difficult to remember, but bicycle passwords on the various platforms they use make it difficult to access their accounts and find indicators for their identity.
Cybernews said that double records are likely to be present in the data records, which means that it is “impossible” to determine the exact number of people whose login information may have been uncovered in the leak.
The leaked records do not seem to come from a central violation that aimed at a certain company, but in a compilation of data records with registration information that has been collected over time.
In his report, Cybernews said that various infostalers are likely to be behind it. Infostaler are a form of malicious software that violates the device or the systems of a victim to record confidential information.
A Google spokesman announced in a statement to CBC News that the problem was not due to a Google data injury.
Bob Dichenko, a cyber security researcher and cybernews, who was involved in the reporting on the leak, found on the social media platform X that there was not a single source of the leak.
“What reflects this number is the size of different info -protocols, which have been exposed to publicly since the beginning of this year alone,” said Dichenko in the post office and added that the leak means the large scale of “Infostal Infections” today.
There are many questions about these leaked login information, including its hands, the registration information is now. Since data injuries are becoming increasingly common in today’s world, experts continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining the most important “cyberhygiene”.
This is not a single source. It is not about the number (scary!), Also, but about the scale and increasing the infotal infections today. What reflects this number is the size of different info -speech protocols that have been opened publicly since the beginning of this year alone. https://t.co/l1gpbee2pu
How can you protect your login information?
Alexander said that “it is difficult to understand what exactly is and what was not” at the leak, but noticed that it is important for people to change their passwords if they fear that they are affected.
She also recommended that people look at various security offers that can offer platforms, e.g. B. the registration when using a passkey instead of a password.
Some online services such as Google and Apple enable users to use a Passkey as an alternative to using a password. In this way, users can register their accounts with a facial recognition scan, their fingerprint or a PIN.
In its explanation, Google encouraged users to use passwordless authentication methods such as Passkeys, who, in the opinion of the company, are more secure. It was also proposed to use tools like Google Password Manager, save passwords and notify users if one of their passwords was involved in a data injury so that they could take measures.
“It is really important that people see whether they were affected but not overreact to the situation,” said Alexander.