Hackers and thieves are ecstatic. This past July 2024, nearly 10 BILLION PASSWORDS- the largest compilation of unique passwords ever leaked- was posted on a popular hacking forum. Known as RockYou2024, this cyber leak has huge implications. Authorities expect that this leaked list will lead to stolen identities, financial losses, and account takeovers for people all over the world.
Seniors in particular pose a very tempting target to such cyber thieves. They are sometimes unfamiliar with technology, tend to be more trusting, and often have accrued a nest egg. In 2023 people over the age of 60 became the highest age group to fall victim to cyber crime in the US.
But this statistic about seniors doesn’t have to be the norm anymore. As the saying goes “With age comes wisdom…” and it can be true in your “cyber life” too. There are a few simple proactive steps to take- to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this latest RockYou2024 password leak.
FIRST- SOME CLUES THAT YOU’VE BEEN HACKED:
You cannot log into online accounts with your password anymore (social media, email, online banking).
There are emails or texts about login attempts, password resets, or two-factor authentication (2FA) that you did not do.
You see strange emails in your “Sent” folder- or maybe logins from mobile devices/locations you do not recognize.
Friends/family have received unusual email or social account messages from “you.”
You receive data breach notifications from a service stating your personal information was leaked.
There are suspicious charges on credit card or bank statements.
Spam emails start arriving to you, sometimes threatening or extorting you.
There are insurance claims that you have not submitted, accounts you do not recognize, or co-signers you did not authorize.
Lenders call you to check on loan inquiries you did not make.
Incorrect employment history shows up on your credit report- possibly by a fraudster using your identity to work illegally.
The first thing to do if you suspect that an account has been hacked, is to promptly change ALL your passwords. And make sure to use DIFFERENT passwords for each of your accounts.
NOW- HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PASSWORDS FROM DATA LEAKS
Use strong unique passwords– different ones for each account. This prevents bad actors from using one hacked password to try to access your other accounts that use the same password. An example of a strong password is that it is more than 10 characters, with upper and lower case letters, along with numbers and symbols. It is difficult for someone to guess- with no obvious personal information or common words. (Don’t use 123456, Qwerty, Password, welcome, 111111, Q2w3e4r5t, or admin– hackers have discovered these incredibly commonly used passwords already!!!).
Look into using multi-factor authentication (MFA). An extra layer of security is added with MFA- which requires a additional forms of verification. You are probably already familiar with multi-factor authentication. When you try to access your bank information online, they send a numerical code to your email or text, or do a phone call for verification. This would specifically be two factor authentication (2FA)-a type of MFA that uses only two factors of authentication.
For instance, depending on your phone type, there are free MFA apps to add to your phone such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator. Computers also have app options such as WinAuth (for windows PCs) KeePassXC (for Windows, Mac and Linux), Authenticator or GAuth (for Chrome Extension), or Authenticator.cc ( for Chrome, Firefox and Edge).
You can use a password manager that generates high-strength passwords. A secure password manager is a software application for an individual or business that stores MFA codes and autofills them for you. The two best 2024 password managers are listed as 1Password (about $30 annually) and Bitwarden (free) but there are many more options.
These are just a few proactive tactics you can take to combat data breaches and weak passwords. Some common sense actions will protect your passwords and keep you from becoming a cyber victim of hacks such as RockYou2024. Prove to those cyber thieves that wisdom DOES come with age…
