Cybernews security researchers have discovered a text file containing nearly 10 billion stolen passwords that were leaked online, posing severe dangers to users.

‘RockYou2024’ leak: Nearly 10 billion passwords stolen by hackers

According to the Cybernews research team, the largest password file, ”RockYou2024”, contains 9,948,575,739 unique plaintext passwords. The password compilation file was published by a user with the username “ObamaCare” on the popular hacking forum BreachForums on July 4th.

Since registering in late May 2024, this user has been seen sharing leaked passwords from various sources. Their previous leak includes an employee database from the law firm Simmons & Simmons, a lead from an online casino AskGamblers, and student applications for Rowan College at Burlington County.

Apparently, the RockYou2024 compilation contains an earlier credentials database known as RockYou2021, which featured 8.4 billion plaintext passwords. However, the threat actors developed this dataset by searching the Internet for data leaks and added another 1.5 billion new passwords during the period 2021 through 2024, thereby increasing the dataset by 15 percent.

It appears that the latest RockYou2024 iteration most likely contains stolen credentials collected from over 4,000 databases over the last twenty years.

“In its essence, the RockYou2024 leak is a compilation of real-world passwords used by individuals all over the world. Revealing that many passwords for threat actors substantially heightens the risk of credential stuffing attacks,” the researchers explained.

“Threat actors could exploit the RockYou2024 password compilation to conduct brute-force attacks and gain unauthorized access to various online accounts used by individuals who employ passwords included in the dataset.”

This could include anything from online and offline services to internet-facing cameras and industrial hardware. Combined with other leaked databases on hacker forums and marketplaces, the researchers believe RockYou2024 can contribute to a cascade of data breaches, financial frauds, and identity thefts.

Preventive Measures Against RockYou2024

To protect from RockYou2024, the Cybernews team has recommended a few preventive measures for affected individuals and organizations to ensure that their accounts are safe from attackers:

• Immediately reset the passwords for all accounts associated with the leaked passwords. It is strongly recommended to select strong, unique passwords that are not reused across multiple platforms.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. This enhances security by requiring additional verification beyond a password.
• Utilize password manager software to securely generate and store complex passwords. Password managers mitigate the risk of password reuse across different accounts.