The Biggest Password Leak in History

A hacker has exposed nearly 10 billion passwords in what is being called the largest password leak of all time. On July 4th, 2024, a user who goes by “ObamaCare” posted a file titled “RockYou2024” on an online hacking forum, containing over 1.5 billion new plain text passwords obtained from recent data breaches. This dataset was added to a previous compilation posted in the same forum in 2021, titled “RockYou2021”.

Cybersecurity experts are sounding the alarm, warning that this collection of passwords could be a goldmine for hackers, enabling widespread cyberattacks, financial fraud, and identity theft. The growing reliance on cloud technology and the rapid advancement of AI-powered ransomware have already fueled a surge in cyberattacks over the past year, and the “RockYou2024” leak threatens to exacerbate the situation.

At Network Right, we recommend taking immediate action to protect your digital assets and identities. Here are some recommendations:

• Implement a Password Manager, like Dashlane or 1Password, where you can create unique passwords effortlessly. It’s important to not reuse passwords in the event of a password breach like this.
• Implement a SIEM. A SIEM can help detect malicious logins from unknown sources/regions and IT can mitigate them faster.
• Regular password audits should be conducted to ensure users are using the tools provided by InfoSec and that password reuse is not occurring within the organization.
• Provide comprehensive cybersecurity training for all employees to raise awareness and promote security within the organization.

If you have any questions or concerns about your password security level, send us an inquiry.