Key Highlights
- The Mother Of All Breaches involves a massive 12TB of leaked data
- This has affected popular online platforms and even government bodies
- Discover tools here to check if your data is included in the breach
A massive data breach involving 26 billion records from major companies, including X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Telegram, Adobe, and others, has recently emerged. This raises significant cybersecurity concerns. The breach, aptly named the “Mother Of All Breaches” (MOAB), contains a staggering 12 terabytes of data, making it potentially the largest breach discovered to date, according to Forbes. Also Read | Top Five Hacks To Protect Your Privacy On Telegram
The Extent Of The Mother Of All Breaches
Security Discovery and Cybernews researchers made the alarming discovery of the MOAB, delving into a vast compilation of data organized into over 3,800 folders. These folders contain records from various companies and multiple leaks over time, creating a full repository of different data breaches. Notably, this extensive dataset encompasses both old leaked data and some never-before-published information.
Companies And Governments Affected
The leaked data includes information from prominent companies such as X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Telegram, Adobe, Canva, Deezer, Dropbox, AdultFriendFinder, Daily Motion, MySpace, VK, Tencent, and Weibo. The severity of the breach extends to encompass records from government institutions in the US, Germany, Philippines, Brazil, and Turkey. Tencent QQ, with a staggering 1.4 billion records, emerges as the most affected entity.
Diverse Sources Of Leaked Data
Contrary to originating from a single source, the MOAB compilation results from various past leaks and includes both historical and newly exposed data. The combination of old and fresh data poses a heightened risk, as cybercriminals could exploit this wealth of information for nefarious activities, including phishing, hacking, and identity theft.
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Cybersecurity Measures: How To Check If Your Data Is Leaked?
- Understanding the potential risks associated with data breaches is the first crucial step in safeguarding your personal information
- Cybersecurity experts emphasize the importance of proactively taking measures to secure your personal data in the wake of a potential breach
- Take advantage of Cybernews’ dedicated tool, “Personal Data Leak Check,” to determine whether your email IDs or mobile numbers are part of the 26 billion records affected by the recent data breach
- Navigate to the website https://haveibeenpwned.com/to access a comprehensive platform that enables you to check if your email ID has been involved in any data leaks.
- Carefully review the results from both tools to assess the status of your personal data and verify whether it has been compromised in the Mother Of All Breaches (MOAB).
- As a general practice, enhance your overall cybersecurity by using strong passwords, employing password managers, enabling two-factor authentication, and exercising caution when dealing with suspicious emails and messages.
- Stay informed about cybersecurity threats and consistently monitor your accounts for any unusual activities. Remaining vigilant is essential to promptly address any potential security concerns.
To enhance overall cybersecurity, users are advised to implement strong passwords, utilize password managers, enable two-factor authentication, and exercise caution when handling suspicious emails and messages. Jake Moore, a cybersecurity advisor at ESET, emphasizes the importance of staying vigilant and taking necessary security updates to lessen the potential consequences of stolen passwords.
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