1st Sep 2016
Many major hacks have hit the headlines in recent years with news that users of certain accounts must change their passwords immediately because hackers have managed to obtain a list of all users emails and passwords, often these lists eventually become publicly searchable. Users of LinkedIn, Tumbler, Adobe, Dropbox, and many more will be familiar with the fear that not only had their account had been compromised but potentially many more of their accounts could be at risk due to repeated use of the same password.
If you have ever wondered if you have been a victim of such an attack then the website haveibeenpwned.com will highlight any lists where your email address has been found. This brings together all the data in publicly searchable lists of sites that have been victims of cyber attacks. Search results will not display passwords.
Just enter an email address, past or present, to see a list of any data breaches where this email address can be found. You will learn when and where the data breach happened so if you have not done so already you can go back and change the password on this account and any account using the same credentials.
The website also lists in order the largest data breaches that have been recorded. Topping that list is myspace with a massive 359 million users affected. As well as this many popular websites like LinkedIn, Yahoo, Dropbox and Adobe (photoshop) appear with substantial numbers of thier their user base affected by cyber attacks.
Of course not all lists will be made publicly searchable, but if you’re practising good online security habits then the worry that your account details could feature on a similar list will be lessened. This all amounts to further evidence that passwords should always be different for each account as a way to limit the damage caused by such an attack.
Stay safe online with these 8 password tips
- Make sure you use different passwords for each account.
- Be sure no one is watching when you enter your password.
- Always log off if you leave your device and anyone is around
- Use security software and keep it up to date to avoid keyloggers and malware
- Avoid entering passwords on computers you don’t control
- Avoid entering passwords when using unsecured Wi-Fi connections
- Don’t tell anyone your password
- Change your passwords periodically, and avoid reusing a password again
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