If you don't have a Gmail account, then maybe this article isn't for you. But odds are you do have a Gmail account. Because, well, everybody has one. And now everybody's on high alert because Gmail – that golden standard of email that's all but driven every other one into obsolescence – has experienced a password breach. That's right – there's a pretty sizeable chance that your Gmail password is available for public consumption at this very minute.
Five million reasons to change your password now
To put it more quantifiably, there are around 5 million Gmail passwords that are now the property of hackers, according to PCWorld. As soon as word broke that the passwords had been exposed, it became the number one news story, in no small part because everyone and their grandmother uses Google for email.
So exactly how did such a large-scale breach happen? As PCWorld points out, the incident appears to reflect a merging of different hacks instead of one momentous password dump.
"The data is old and likely sourced from multiple data breaches according to one security firm," the article stated.
Here's what happened: On a security forum associated with Bitcoin, a user called "tvskit" made a post with a link to an archive containing the alleged passwords. In the user's post, "tvskit" claimed that the passwords were largely valid, with at least 60 percent being shown to work. A subsequent investigation into the dumped password trove carried out by CSIS Security Group confirmed the veracity of many of the passwords, which sparked widespread concern among Gmail users that their information was at risk. Incidentally, if you want to see if you're among those whose password was released, type in your email address here.
Fortunately, though, there is an extremely simple way to deal with this breach and alleviate any anxiety you may have: Change your passwords. However, we're not just talking about your Gmail password. You see, if you're anything like most computer users out there, then chances are that the password you use for Google likely recurs across other accounts you use. If you think hackers can't figure this out, unfortunately you're mistaken. Even as you read this article, there are undoubtedly hackers out there who are taking the credential information from the Gmail breach and plugging it into other, more lucrative platforms – such as banking sites – to see if that bears fruit. Having your email breached is one thing. But having your bank account maliciously accessed is another beast altogether. Luckily, you can prevent both with a simple change of password.
The Internet is a dangerous place – but doesn't have to be
With the news of the Gmail password dump following the massive leak of celebrity nude photos, it's understandable if you're looking at the Internet right now as a place of heightened risk. But that doesn't have to be the case. By consistently practicing good personal security, you can ameliorate your Web presence and all but guarantee that you'll never fall victim to an attack. Here are some of the steps you can take:
- Change passwords frequently. A good password isn't something to invest in like, say, a nice desk or a plot of land. No matter how ingenious you think your passwords are, they should be ephemeral, since the longer you keep them the same, the more you expose yourself to the possibility of a breach. If you think you'll forget to change your passwords, perhaps designate a "Change Password Day" in your calendar every few months.
- Don't open suspicious emails. This goes without saying, yet it's something that far too many people still do. As adept as services like Gmail are at detecting suspicious messages, the ultimate discerning eyes must be your own. If there's a message in your inbox from a source you don't recognize, don't open it.
