On July 4th, a forum user named ObamaCare posted a file with leaked passwords. The RockYou file contains 10 billion passwords, making it the biggest password leak in the history of the internet. As of 2022, the population of Earth was 7.951 billion. What are the chances that mine and your passwords are in there?
Except I know for sure mine aren’t. How do I know? Read on to find out.
With nearly 10 billion passwords leaked, the RockYou password list allows hackers to access your accounts, obtain personal and financial details, and commit identity theft. What to do to prevent this from happening to you? In our piece, we’ll explain the RockYou data breach in more detail and will tell you how to maintain your online security.
In this article you will find the following:
Before we start:
The RockYou data breach highlights how important it’s to monitor your online security. With 10 billion passwords now leaked, your personal information is at risk. Fortunately, MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard looks for your details in data breaches and can alert you if your details have been stolen, are being sold, or are available for anyone to download.
Here’s how to use MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard:
- Download MacKeeper and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
- Open the app and choose ID Theft Guard.
- Enter your email address and click Start Scan.
- If any breaches are found, follow the on-screen instructions for guidance.
What is the RockYou breach?
Nearly 10 billion unique passwords have been shared in a text file on an online forum.
Online researchers from Cybernews discovered the leak posted on a hacking forum on 4th July.
The text file is an updated version of an earlier RockYou password list from 2021 containing 8.4 billion passwords.
The anonymous hacker, going by the username ObamaCare, has already leaked an employee database from a law firm, Simmons & Simmons, and student application details from Rowan College at Burlington County.
The password leak puts 10 billion people at risk of identity theft and financial loss and exposes websites to brute-force attacks.
Were my details included in the RockYou password list?
Luckily, you don’t need to find the text file and search through all the entries to check if your details have been compromised. Instead, you can use MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard to see if your details have been included in any data breaches.
To use MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard:
- Open MacKeeper and choose ID Theft Guard.
- Enter your email address and click Start Scan.
- If any breaches are found, click Send Code to verify your email address.
- Enter the code emailed to you, press Enter, and follow the on-screen instructions to take action about each data breach.
- If your details aren’t involved in any breaches, click Continue to return to the home screen.
- Click the toggle to turn on the Data Breach Monitor.
Note from our team: Simply enter your email address, and ID Theft Guard will check if it’s been compromised in a password leak. Not only that, but it’ll continue monitoring 24/7 and alert you if there are any data breaches in the future.
How can I keep my details safe?
Your Mac has a range of great macOS security features, but data breaches are always a risk. However, there are some tips you can follow to keep your data as safe as possible:
- Don’t reuse passwords on different websites. This way, if one account is compromised, it shouldn’t affect others.
- Use multi-factor authentication where possible. Sometimes known as 2FA or MFA, this is where you provide another piece of evidence when logging in. This might involve using an authenticator app, an additional password or PIN, or biometrics, which make it harder for cybercriminals to access your accounts.
- Check if your details are compromised, and take action if so. If you learn that a password has been involved in a data breach, change it as soon as possible. Remember that MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard can help you keep up with data breaches.
RockYou Data Breach
The RockYou data breach in July 2024 is the biggest password leak in history. The database contains nearly 10 billion passwords and potentially affects internet users worldwide.
This means that data breaches and password leaks can be worrying, especially if you reuse passwords from online accounts. Fortunately, MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard can alert you to data breaches as soon as they happen, allowing you to change your passwords and keep yourself safe.
