63 Crore Passwords Leaked: Check If Your Accounts Are at Risk

In a massive cyber breach, the FBI has caught a hacker responsible for leaking over 63 crore passwords from various sources, including dark web marketplaces, Telegram channels, and malware attacks. These stolen credentials have now been made available for verification through the popular security website “Have I Been Pwned”, run by cyber expert Troy Hunt.

Origin of the Leaked Passwords

According to Forbes, the leaked passwords mostly stem from past data breaches. About 7.4% (roughly 4.6 crore) of these passwords had never appeared on Hunt’s database before, while the rest were already known but now have been expanded in scope. The hacker also exploited InfoStealer malware, which secretly extracts passwords from infected devices.

How to Check if Your Password is Leaked

Users can visit the Pwned Passwords service to safely check if their password has been compromised. The site uses SHA-1 hashing to protect your password—your actual password is never shared. If your password is found, it’s crucial to change it immediately to prevent potential credential-stuffing attacks.

Additional security tips:

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts wherever possible.
• Avoid reusing passwords across multiple platforms.
• Use strong, unique passwords for every account.

Why Use a Password Manager?

Password managers store all your passwords securely and can generate strong, unique passwords automatically. This reduces the risk of hacking, as even if one account is compromised, others remain safe. While no system is completely foolproof, a password manager is far safer than using weak or repeated passwords.

Popular options include:

• Google Password Manager – Checks for weak, reused, or compromised passwords and integrates with your Google account.
• Apple Password App – For iPhone users, verifies leaked passwords without sharing them with Apple.

Using a dedicated password manager app is recommended over browser-based storage for better security.

Stay vigilant and take immediate steps to secure your digital accounts before it’s too late.