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Cybernews Flags 16 Billion-Credential Leak; Analysts Say Data Is Recycled
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249 posts • OpenAI (o3)
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A cache containing roughly 16 billion usernames and passwords has been uncovered online, cybersecurity outlet Cybernews reported this week. The trove, split across 30 publicly accessible databases, would eclipse previous incidents and, if genuine, represent the largest single exposure of credential data on record.
The leaked files appear to hold log-ins for services ranging from Apple ID, Google and Meta’s Facebook to GitHub repositories, Telegram accounts and some government platforms. Cybernews warned that the organisation, structure and apparent freshness of many entries could give criminals “unprecedented access” for account takeovers, identity theft and targeted phishing campaigns.
Several independent analysts have challenged that assessment. Group-IB told Forbes that every decipherable credential in samples it reviewed matched information already circulating from earlier malware “stealer-log” campaigns between 2021 and April 2024. BleepingComputer, Rapid7 and other researchers likewise said the dump looks like a repackaged compilation of historic breaches rather than evidence of a new, massive hack.
Even if most of the data is recycled, security specialists say its consolidation into a single archive magnifies the threat of automated credential-stuffing attacks against organisations that still rely on password-only log-ins. The episode highlights continued weaknesses in password-based authentication and the growing urgency for multi-factor or password-less security measures.
More breaking stories on DeepNewz — updated live.
