In August 2013, one of the oldest providers of free email services had their email system hacked into, and more than a billion accounts were compromised. Yahoo’s ongoing woes with old cybersecurity breaches now totals more than 1.5 billion email accounts hacked in what is believed to be two independent attacks.
The data that was stolen in 2013 is now reportedly up for sale on the Dark Web, the name given to private networks that typically cannot be accessed without special software, configurations or authorizations. It has come to light that the names, phone numbers, backup emails and other data items linked to the hacked accounts have been up for sale since August of this year.
While many sources, including our own site, have attempted to guide Yahoo account holders on what to do to protect their accounts, the problem of data being up for sale continues.
Reports have surfaced about an Eastern European entity that is selling the database wholesale, and three buyers are already known to have paid a whopping $300,000 each for the information.
You can still protect your account by changing your email password to a complex one that would be difficult to crack, but if the information is out there means your account is already compromised.
As a next step, you need to exercise caution when opening emails from unknown senders or even well-known companies that should have no reason to email you. The problem is that users have been receiving emails from Yahoo as well, and not all of them are authentic.
So what can the average user do?
In the article linked below, technology expert Chris Foxx from the BBC has explained the necessary steps that need to be taken by anyone who thinks their email accounts may have been hacked into.
Make sure you read the article carefully and follow the outlined steps. It may not safeguard the information that has already been leaked, but it will help you prevent future attacks that prey on your habits as an email and internet user.
READ: Yahoo Hack Advice: BBC Expert on How to Make your Account Safer
If your account was hacked, there’s no guarantee that the information won’t be used to spam your email or steal your identity. But rather than crying over what’s happened or blaming Yahoo for the calamity, your energy is much better spent trying to beef up your personal online security and that of your online assets as soon as possible.
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