A significant data leak, called the ‘mother of all breaches’ (MOAB), has exposed a massive 26 billion records and twelve terabytes of data from websites such as X and Linkedin. Data expert Bob Dyachenko collaborated with Cybernews.com to uncover this historic breach.
The MOAB is a collection of various previous breaches consolidated on a reportedly insecure website. While there may be duplicates, the leaked data contains more than just usernames and passwords; it also includes sensitive information that could be valuable to malicious actors.
Details of the Breach
Reports indicate that X had 281 million breaches, Linkedin 251 million, and Deezer 258 million leaked records. Among the most affected by the breach were Chinese messaging app QQ from Tencent with 1.5 billion exposed records, followed by another Chinese app, Weibo.
Additionally, government entities from the United States, Germany, Brazil, and the Philippines were also impacted by this cyber-attack.
Tips for Enhancing Data Security Online
One way to improve security is by regularly changing passwords and ensuring that each login has a unique password. Using the same password across different platforms can jeopardize multiple accounts if one is compromised.
The Cybernews researchers warned that shared passwords could lead to attackers accessing more sensitive accounts, potentially resulting in spear-phishing attacks and increased spam emails for affected users.
Cybersecurity has gained importance for government bodies and major U.S. corporations. Recent events, such as the severe cyber-attack during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have highlighted the far-reaching consequences of digital warfare and cybercrime at a national level.
In response, the Biden Administration has introduced new cybersecurity requirements for hospitals to bolster overall data security measures. These requirements include deploying multi-factor authentication and establishing protocols to promptly address software vulnerabilities.
As a result, roles in cybersecurity are increasingly featured in recruitment ads, reflecting the growing need to address online security challenges faced by organizations.
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