Why you NEVER want to reuse a password!

In the news almost daily, we hear of new data breaches exposing personal information, often sold on the dark web. Recently, a user known as “ObamaCare” compiled nearly 10 billion passwords from data breaches, updating the infamous RockYou2021 file, which previously included over 20 years of breached passwords. Why does this matter? Many of us have had our data leaked, whether from Ticketmaster (560M users in May 2024), LinkedIn (700M users in June 2021), or Marriott (500M users in November 2018).

Hackers used to struggle with the sheer size of this leaked data, but with RockYou2021, a searchable database of 8.4 billion plain-text passwords was created, covering decades of breaches. Now, with RockYou2024, criminals have access to nearly 10 billion passwords, and it’s only a matter of time before you’re targeted if you reuse old passwords.

To stay safe, check if your passwords have been leaked using Cybernews’ [Leaked Password Checker] – https://cybernews.com/password-leak-check. Instead of clicking the link directly, copy and paste it into your browser or search for it yourself to ensure security. Once on the site, you can verify if your passwords have been compromised.

To protect yourself from credential-stuffing attacks, stop reusing old passwords. Regularly update each account with unique, complex passwords of at least 12 characters, mixing uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. If that seems overwhelming, consider using a reputable password manager like 1Password, Dashlane, or Bitwarden to manage your passwords and safeguard your information.

Kim Krushell

Co-Founder