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Passwords leaked in RockYou data breach
The RockYou password list, titled the largest leak of all time, has sent shockwaves throughout the cybersecurity industry. On July 4th, 2024, a user named ObamaCare posted a file containing 9,948,575,739 unique plaintext passwords on a hacker forum. The file, titled rockyou2024.txt, includes passwords from the RockYou2021 compilation, plus 1.5 billion more.
Back in 2021, RockYou2021 was the largest password compilation, with 8.4 billion plain text passwords. At the time, it built upon a 2009 data breach containing tens of millions of social media account passwords, similar to some of the most notorious data breaches of the 2010s. Since then, attackers have kept the compilation, likely collating data from over 4,000 databases over 20 years.
To be clear, most, if not all, passwords included in the RockYou2024 list were previously leaked. Attackers periodically update the RockYou list with passwords sourced from other breaches. Even so, it remains a serious privacy and security risk.
Interesting facts to consider
According to a Bitwarden report, 44% of internet users seldom change their passwords. Additionally, 41% of internet users surveyed managed passwords across 10-25 different sites and apps. Furthermore, 32% of those internet users reused passwords across five to 10 sites. Shockingly, a Harris Poll study, in partnership with Google revealed that only 45% of Americans would change their online account passwords after a data data breach.
This is proof that data sets containing passwords leaked years ago can benefit cyber criminals. Moreover, with each leak comes the potential for more cybercriminals to access the data included in the dump. Therefore, anyone whose passwords were included in the previous RockYou leaks and who hasn’t changed them or secured their online accounts is vulnerable to hacking. Users who share the same passwords across multiple accounts face an even greater security risk.
Why protecting your information from data breaches is crucial
The RockYou2024 leak highlights the importance of protecting your personal information from breaches. It’s a wake-up call to secure all your apps and online accounts by changing your passwords, using unique ones across all accounts, and managing them using a password manager.
Protecting your data is important for various reasons, including:
- Reducing the amount of phishing attacks leveled against you. Having your email address exposed through a data breach creates a domino effect, including an increased risk of phishing attacks. As if phishing attacks weren’t already a nuisance, you may experience more attempts as cybercriminals get their hands on your email address. Protecting your data reduces your chances of receiving more phishing emails.
- Averting malware. Some phishing attacks are designed to steal your information for more malicious activities. However, others are crafted to stealthily infect your device with dangerous malware when you click on links in phishing emails. Practicing healthy internet habits and protecting your data can help you avoid this risk.
- Protecting your sensitive information. Hackers can steal sensitive information using various methods, including infecting your device with malware and directing you to dodgy websites. For this reason, securing your email addresses, especially those you use for apps and online accounts, is non-negotiable.
- Preventing further attacks. Compromised email addresses are at risk of being stolen or bought by thousands of hackers, placing you at risk of more attacks and different types of attacks. For example, hackers can target your device with malware and access your social media apps, streaming accounts, mobile payment service accounts—such as Cash App—and more.
How to check if your data was leaked
Determining whether your data was leaked in the RockYou breach is a key step after a data leak. If your password was included in the RockYou list, cybercriminals may link it to your email address from other leaked databases if it was previously compromised, leading to further consequences, like more breaches and identity theft.
Clario Anti Spy’s Data breach monitor is your solution to unearthing your email’s vulnerability. It checks the internet for known data breaches containing your chosen email address, empowering you to take the next step in protecting your data.
Use Clario Anti Spy’s Data breach monitor to check for breaches containing your email. Follow these steps:
- Download Clario Anti Spy on your computer and click on Data breach monitor.
- Select the Add email option, enter the email address you want to check, and hit the Add email button.
- Clario will perform a scan to identify data leaks containing the email you entered. Review the results at the end. If Clario gets a hit on your email, click Get verification code, check for the code in your emails, paste it in the text box provided, and click Verify email > Review a breach.
- Click Show details to ascertain what the breach is about, followed by the Fix with expert option.
Conclusion
The RockYou2024 data breach is a reminder to prioritize protecting your data. The first step in achieving that is to check if your email address and passwords were included in a data leak. If they weres, chances are your passwords and other sensitive data were also leaked, further compromising your privacy. Instead of wondering, use Clario Anti Spy’s Data breach monitor to find out for sure if your email address was compromised in a data breach.
