Cybernews Reports 16 Billion Credentials Compiled By Infostealers

It should be common knowledge that protecting your online accounts with safe and secure passwords is a must. Identity theft and cybercrimes are rampant in a world that is regularly utilizing digital means to communicate and store information. However, as CBC News journalist, Shaki Sutharsan reported last week, protecting our accounts appears to be more difficult than ever.

In her article, Sutharsan reveals that independent cybersecurity news outlet, Cybernews has reported that 16 billion login credentials were found compiled in exposed datasets online. The exposed accounts span throughout such platforms as Google, Apple, Facebook and even government services. Sutharsan notes that duplicates likely exist, so it’s practically impossible to determine the exact count of unique exposed accounts.

What can be done to protect your sensitive information?

ISA Cybersecurity’s Enza Alexander was interviewed for the CBC article. She offers up some practical tips to help people keep their online accounts protected. Firstly, you should change passwords about three to four times a year. This is especially important for frequently used social or key accounts. As well, it’s wise to use unique, complex combinations with characters and numbers. You should also never reuse your passwords.

These suggestions align with industry best practices. Google, Apple and Meta all now encourage password‑less login using passkeys as a more secure alternative. At Melo Technology, we understand that it can be pretty hard to remember a bunch of long and complex passwords. That’s why we believe in using password manager platforms such as LastPass, Bitwarden, 1Password or iCloud Keychain.

As well, we would advise you to enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) via authenticator apps over SMS. You should also transition to passkeys or biometric logins where available. Also, monitor accounts for unusual activity and use services like “Have I Been Pwned” or Google Password Manager’s breach alerts.

How can these security issues impact your business?

Small and medium businesses often hold data on clients, projects and communications. Even high-quality passwords can be hacked from time to time. If staff credentials are stolen, they can become entry points for PSIRTs (Product Security Incident Response Teams), client data leaks and brand reputational damage.

Security breaches can also lead to phishing campaigns that target internal teams or clients. Not to mention, you risk unauthorized access to VoIP systems, billing data or project portals when you don’t work to keep your passwords secure.

How can Melo Technology help you to protect your sensitive information?

Melo Technology’s expertise in cloud-hosted Commercial Phone Services, blog and content services, 3D virtual tours, web development and ongoing tech support positions us as your all-in-one security partner. We help prevent credential compromise at every layer from staff training and endpoint protection to secure VoIP logins and site hardening.

Would you like some help implementing passkeys, setting up secure MFA, deploying infostealer detection or creating client-facing web and VoIP systems with robust access controls? Melo Technology is here to serve you! Let’s work together to keep your business and customers safe, secure, accessible and worry-free. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-888-MELOTEL or fill out the form on our Contact page.