Twitter, LinkedIn and other platforms face massive data breach, 26 billion records exposed

In a staggering revelation, cybersecurity researchers have uncovered what is being referred to as the 'Mother of all Breaches,' with over 26 billion personal records exposed. This data leak, likely the largest ever recorded, has affected numerous platforms, including Twitter, LinkedIn, and Dropbox.

The breach was discovered by researchers from Security Discovery and CyberNews, who found an unsecured database containing a vast trove of data amounting to 12 terabytes, reported Forbes. The leaked information includes sensitive personal details that could potentially lead to a surge in cybercrime activities such as identity theft, sophisticated phishing schemes, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts.

Among the compromised records were 1.5 billion from Tencent's QQ, 504 million from Weibo, 360 million from MySpace, 281 million from Twitter, 251 million from LinkedIn, and 220 million from AdultFriendFinder. Notably, the leak also encompasses records from various government organisations across the United States, Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, Turkey, and others.

Experts warn that the leaked data, which appears to be a compilation of records from thousands of previous breaches and data leaks, poses a significant threat. Although there may be numerous duplicate records within the database, the presence of usernames and password combinations is particularly concerning. This could lead to an increase in credential stuffing attacks, where cybercriminals use stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to multiple user accounts.

Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor for ESET, emphasised the gravity of the situation, advising those affected to change their passwords, be vigilant against phishing emails, and ensure all accounts are secured with two-factor authentication.

To check if your personal data has been compromised, individuals can utilize tools like Cybernews' data leak checker or the well-known Have I Been Pwned service. These tools allow users to enter their email address or phone number to see if their account information has been leaked in historic data breaches.

A substantial portion of the exposed data comprises compiled records from prior breaches, yet the scale of this breach is unparalleled. In 2019, Verifications.io experienced a significant breach, exposing almost one billion records, marking it as one of the most substantial breaches of that time. Notable breaches from the past include MySpace (360 million), Twitter (281 million), LinkedIn (251 million), and AdultFriendFinder (220 million).

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