The Colossal Data Breach Unveils Data from Multiple Past Incidents, Totaling a Staggering 12 Terabytes of Data and Over 26 Billion Records. This monumental leak includes user data from platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Weibo, Tencent, and more, marking it as possibly the most extensive breach ever uncovered.
This isn’t just a data leak; it’s a monumental event. The ‘Mother of all Breaches’ (MOAB) consolidates records from thousands of meticulously gathered, reindexed leaks, breaches, and privately traded databases. A complete and searchable compilation is provided at the end of this article.
Cybersecurity expert Bob Dyachenko, from SecurityDiscovery.com, in collaboration with the Cybernews team, has uncovered an astonishing number of records exposed in an open database, the owner of which may never be identified
The team’s analysis indicates that while the dataset primarily comprises data from previous breaches, it almost certainly includes previously undisclosed information. For context, the Cybernews data leak checker, encompassing over 2,500 breaches with 15 billion records, doesn’t match the extent of this leak.
The ‘Mother of all Breaches’ (MOAB) encompasses an extraordinary 26 billion records across 3,800 folders, each representing a different breach. While not all records are guaranteed to be new, the sheer volume suggests a significant portion could be unprecedented.
Experts suspect the MOAB’s proprietor might be involved in malevolent activities, acting as a data broker, or working with massive data quantities for other purposes.
The researchers warn of the dataset’s potential harm. With such a wealth of data, threat actors could engage in identity theft, advanced phishing attacks, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to sensitive personal accounts.
The MOAB, predominantly a compilation of multiple breaches (COMB), isn’t just new stolen data. It’s likely the largest of its kind ever assembled.
Despite the likelihood of duplicates within the 26 billion records, the leaked data’s breadth extends beyond mere credentials. The abundance of sensitive information makes it a goldmine for malicious entities.
An examination of the data tree reveals a staggering number of records gathered from previous breaches. The most significant chunk, 1.4 billion records, is from Tencent QQ, a popular Chinese messaging service.
Other major sources include hundreds of millions of records from various platforms: Weibo (504M), MySpace (360M), Twitter (281M), Deezer (258M), LinkedIn (251M), AdultFriendFinder (220M), Adobe (153M), Canva (143M), VK (101M), Daily Motion (86M), Dropbox (69M), Telegram (41M), along with numerous other companies and organizations.
Significantly, the leak encompasses records from various government entities across the US, Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, Turkey, and more.
The team warns of the potentially unparalleled consumer impact due to the ‘Mother of all Breaches’ (MOAB). The widespread reuse of usernames and passwords could lead to a deluge of credential-stuffing attacks by malicious actors.
For instance, if individuals use identical passwords for different accounts like Netflix and Gmail, this breach could enable attackers to target more sensitive accounts. Victims within this colossal MOAB are also at heightened risk of spear-phishing attacks and an influx of spam emails.
The scale of this leak is unprecedented. To put it in perspective, a 2021 report by Cybernews disclosed a COMB containing 3.2 billion records, a mere 12% of this 2024 supermassive MOAB.
We are currently updating the Cybernews data leak checker to incorporate MOAB data. This will allow individuals to check if their information was compromised in this historic breach. In the meantime, users are urged to exercise increased vigilance and enhance their cyber hygiene.
This includes employing strong, unique passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication on key accounts, being alert to phishing and spear-phishing schemes, checking for password duplication, and securing accounts with shared passwords with new, robust protective measures.
CoreRecon, headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas, stands as a vigilant guardian in the realm of cyber security and IT services. Operating 24/7, this company is uniquely positioned as the only Cyber Security and IT service provider in South Texas, extending its expert services throughout Texas and neighboring states.
Specializing in a range of critical security measures, CoreRecon is dedicated to fortifying businesses against the ever-evolving threats in the digital world. Their services include:
- Penetration Testing: CoreRecon employs advanced penetration testing methods to simulate cyber attacks. This proactive approach identifies vulnerabilities in your system before they can be exploited by malicious actors, ensuring that your defenses are robust and resilient.
- Email Auditing: In an era where email breaches are increasingly common, CoreRecon’s email auditing service is vital. They focus on ensuring that no unwanted actors are compromising email systems through unauthorized forwarding or other malicious activities. This service is crucial in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of business communications.
- Security Assessments: CoreRecon provides comprehensive security assessments to evaluate the current state of your cyber defenses. They scrutinize every aspect of your security protocol, from software to hardware, to ensure that your business is equipped to repel cyber threats effectively.
- Network Assessments: Understanding the importance of a secure and efficient network, CoreRecon conducts thorough network assessments. This service involves evaluating the network’s performance, security, and management, ensuring that it is optimized for both security and functionality.
In addition to these services, CoreRecon offers a range of other IT and cybersecurity solutions tailored to protect businesses from the latest threats. Their team of experts is always on call, ready to respond to any security incident or IT challenge, providing peace of mind and a secure operating environment for your business.
With CoreRecon’s commitment to cutting-edge technology and expertise, businesses in Texas and beyond can trust them to be a reliable shield against cyber attacks, ensuring their digital assets and operations are secure and uninterrupted.