Big Data Breach - If You Use Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, You Should Change Your Password Now

[the last outlaw]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/2016/05/05/if-you-use-gmail-hotmail-or-yahoo-mail-you-should-change-your-password-now/#5bfe92e0683b

 

Quote

If you rely on Google, Microsoft, Yahoo or Mail.ru for your emails, you should go change your password right now.

Reuters is reporting that a Russian hacker has stolen more than 273 million email passwords and are selling them online. If true, this would be the largest security breach since hackers attacked US banks and retailers two years ago. This revelation, Reuters reports, comes from a security expert at US-based security firm Holden Security. The company told Reuters that the stolen accounts include 53 million Mail.ru accounts, 40 million Yahoo accounts, 33 million Microsoft Hotmail accounts, and 24 million Gmail accounts.

If you, like me, use not only Gmail but a myriad of other Google services to keep your life organized (Google Photos, Google Keep and Google Map are soooo useful), a password change is in order. Yes, the source that tipped Reuters off is not exactly a neutral party — as a security firm, they definitely could benefit from an increased fear of cyberattacks from the general public — but cyberattacks have been on the rise and considering how much of our life is tied to the web these days, every precaution should be taken 

In fact, if you’re not using two-step verification, I highly recommend you sign up for that too. It’s available on all the aforementioned compromised email services (and frankly, any internet service that doesn’t have it isn’t worth a damn). What two-step verification does is provide a second level of security to log into your account. In addition to the password, you’d need a second code that is sent to your phone via text messages or, if you use Google, generated via an app. Does it make your account impossible to hack? No. But it does make it much, much harder, because someone would need to know your password and have your phone to get into your account. Heck, if your phone is locked, that’s basically having a third layer of protection.

 

[canuckster19]

Edited, problem solved... end rant.

[Twilight Sparkle]

*goes to check hotmail*

[Tortorella's Rant]

Just now, Twilight Sparkle said:

*goes to check hotmail*

trolled with a bunch of dick pictures

[Twilight Sparkle]

Just now, Tortorella's Rant said:

trolled with a bunch of dick pictures

there's a really cute one where he can't get it all the way

[Winter Soldier]

Anyone who doesn't use two step authentication is just asking for trouble, tbh.

[Kragar]

Hackers: make me want to believe in hell.  Should be a nice special place for them there.

[canuckster19]

3 minutes ago, Winter Soldier said:

Anyone who doesn't use two step authentication is just asking for trouble, tbh.

Yeah, I managed to fix my problem and am setting up this as we speak, wasn't aware of this.

[Ossi Vaananen]

Thank you sir! I use 2/3 and will be right on that.

[SamJamIam]

53 minutes ago, the last outlaw said:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/2016/05/05/if-you-use-gmail-hotmail-or-yahoo-mail-you-should-change-your-password-now/#5bfe92e0683b

 

 

Or just set your hotmail account to require authentication from the Microsoft phone app.  Problem solved.

[Mainly Mattias]

the breach was discovered to be fake; the data was fake.

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3067262/security/that-massive-data-breach-was-just-hype-email-provider-says.html

however, changing passwords is always good practice!  using a password manager is good practice too.

[soosoodeff]

Meh... I change my password too much .. now that I remember this one, I ain't changing lol got nothing to hide. They could delete my junk mail while they're at it