Some 427 million passwords were accessed as part of the Myspace hack, and although hardly anyone uses Myspace these days, there is still a very big threat to your online security.
So, should you be concerned?
If you had a MySpace account before 2013 then your (probably redundant) account details have possibly been hacked, and if you use the same passwords and log in details to this day, and the same email address, there is cause to be very concerned indeed.
There is a website called “Have I Been Pwned?” which was set up by a security expert to help with this – you can enter your email address and the site can inform you if you have been involved in hacks and breaches. The website and its owner have been well publicised, and it’s regarded as a legitimate and working tool to use, and having tested it, it appears effective.
So, step one may be to use the site which can often tell you straight away if you have been hacked, and in what hack you have been involved in.
It’s as scary as it is useful!
But the bigger message here about what has been named as one of the biggest data hacks in history is just how easy it is to be scammed. Just one email address and a password could be used to look you up – and if you use the same password for, say, your online banking, then straight away you could be at risk.
Identity theft could be a problem too, and if anyone gains access to your social media account there could be a whole host of information they could take from you.
So, yes, you should be concerned!