1bn Yahoo users’ information stolen in biggest breach ever

Internet giant Yahoo announced this week that it had discovered over 1bn of its users’ accounts had been compromised following a historical hack three years ago.

Yahoo has announced that they have discovered a historical hack from August 2013 which surpasses their own previously set record of 500 million accounts, set only months earlier in September. This is an act that they claimed had been conducted by an ‘unnamed’ government.

Security experts are warning that users of Yahoo should immediately change their Yahoo passwords and similarly if they use the same password for any other websites change that too. They have also encouraged users to be extra vigilant when opening emails and to not open any suspicious attachments or links.

Many internet users will use the same ID or email address and password to log in to multiple websites. However, hacks like these highlight the importance of having individual passwords for each website that you use. If a hacker has access to your email account, or knows your log in details then they may be able to access and control various other websites that you use.

Here at ECL we have extensive experience in protecting businesses against the latest online threats including malware, adware, hacks, viruses, spam and phishing scams. We can offer support and advise you on the best methods of protecting your business. For more information, please call us on 01268 575300 or email us on info@ecl.co.uk