Major Data Hack Nabs 184M Passwords for Google, Apple and More: 'Cybercriminal's Dream'

A devastating data breach has exposed over 184 million passwords across various platforms, leaving many users vulnerable to cyber attacks. According to a recent report by cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler, the leak affected everything from usernames and passwords on social media and bank accounts, to sensitive information stored in email providers like Google.

The database containing the compromised passwords was ironically unencrypted and not password-protected itself, making it an easy target for hackers. The publicly accessible database contained 184,162,718 unique logins and passwords reportedly tied to email providers such as Google and a range of Microsoft products, as well as social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Fowler discovered that the sensitive information was likely stolen directly from users due to the use of infostealer malware, a type of malicious software designed specifically to harvest sensitive information from an infected system. This means that millions of user accounts were compromised without their knowledge or consent.

The Scope of the Breach

The breach is estimated to have affected thousands of email accounts, with Fowler advising users to regularly delete old, sensitive emails and use encrypted cloud storage solutions instead. He emphasized the importance of treating email accounts as secure repositories for sensitive documents, rather than free cloud storage.

Bank accounts, health services, and government portals were also reportedly unprotected, highlighting the severity of the breach. The compromised data includes a range of sensitive information, such as passwords, autofill data, cookies, and messaging app data.

The Mystery Behind the Leak

Fowler is unsure whether the database was created with malicious intent or if it was an accidental exposure by the hosting provider. He contacted the hosting provider, which removed the database from public access, but refused to share the file's owner.

A Snapchat representative told Mashable that they have not found any vulnerability or evidence of a breach on their platform, but Fowler's findings suggest otherwise. The lack of transparency from the hosting provider and the unknown intentions behind the leak add to the mystery surrounding this devastating data breach.