ndgtoogle has issued an urgent warning to its users after a massive data leak exposed more than 183 million email addresses and passwords, with Gmail accounts among those compromised.
Cybersecurity experts say the leak was caused by infostealer malware, which secretly collects login details from infected computers and phones. The breach, made public by Troy Hunt, founder of the security platform Have I Been Pwned (HIBP), contains 3.5 terabytes of stolen data, one of the largest collections of hacked credentials ever discovered.
ccording to Hunt, the database, called the “Synthient Stealer Log Threat Data,” includes information from malware-infected devices and dark web trading forums. It contains stolen logins from major online services including andgtmail, Outlook, Facebook, Instagram, Apple, and more.
“This isn’t just another leak, it’s a constant stream of stolen information spreading across the web,” Hunt warned.
closer look at the sample data showed that 92 percent of the credentials came from previous breaches, while 8 percent roughly 16 million new email addresses had not been seen before, raising new concerns for users.
Cybersecurity firm Synthient, which discovered the dataset, said the malware logs record everything users type when logging into websites. “If someone signs in to Gmail, their email and password are saved and sold online,” said Benjamin Brundage, the firm’s lead analyst.
;handgtoogle Responds;/h In a statement, Google confirmed that its systems were not directly breached but warned that users could still be at risk if their devices were infected with malware.
“This report reflects broad infostealer activity that targets many types of web users,” Forbes reported.
oogle urged users to turn on two-step verification (2FA), use unique strong passwords, and perform a full security checkup through myaccount.google.com/security
;hHow to Check if You’re Affected;/h To find out if your email or password was exposed:
Visit HaveIBeenPwned.com
Enter your email address in the search box and click “Check.”
The site will show a list of any data breaches linked to your email.
If your account appears, change your password immediately and enable 2FA.
Experts also recommend running a malware scan using tools like Malwarebytes or Windows Defender to ensure your device is clean.
;hRising Global Concern;/h This latest incident follows several major leaks this year, including a 184 million-credential breach in May and another 16-billion-password leak in June, described as the largest ever.
uthorities and tech companies continue to monitor the situation, but experts say the real defence starts with individuals.
“Treat every link or login as a potential risk,” Hunt adviced. “Once your data is stolen, it’s almost impossible to take it back.”