RockYou2024: Biggest Password Leak Ever
A huge document containing nearly 10 billion passwords was discovered on a hacker forum on 4 July 2024. The file, called ‘rockyou2024.txt’, contains 9,948,575,739 passwords, making it the largest collection ever posted online. Cybernews discovered the document by accident, and research indicates that it contains both previously leaked and new passwords. The leak is an initiative by hacker ‘ObamaCare’, which has been active since May 2024 and has previously put sensitive data from the likes of law firm Simmons & Simmons and Rowan College online. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
This leak surpasses previous data breaches such as the ‘Mother of all breaches’ (MOAB) in that it contains unique passwords with no duplicates. Researchers stress that these are real passwords actually used for numerous online accounts. The sheer size of RockYou2024 offers cybercriminals the opportunity to take advantage via techniques such as ‘credential stuffing’, where they try password-email address combinations on different websites. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
At Sofatech, we always recommend using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to ensure the security of your accounts. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second factor, such as a SMS code, fingerprint or an authenticator app, in addition to the password. This makes it much harder for cybercriminals to access your accounts, even if they have your password.
At a time when giant password leaks like RockYou2024 are becoming more common, it is crucial to strengthen your digital security. Using unique passwords is a good start, but MFA provides that extra layer of protection and helps prevent your data from being misused. By enabling MFA on all your accounts, you can significantly reduce the chances of unauthorised access and protect your business from potential cyber attacks.
Make sure you implement this simple but effective measure to protect company data and personal information. At Sofatech, we are ready to help implement MFA and other security solutions to ensure your digital security.
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