Billions of passwords leaked in largest data breach ever

Researchers have uncovered what they describe as the largest data breach ever, exposing 16 billion passwords for accounts across Apple, Facebook, Google, other social media platforms, and government services.

The massive leak revealed 16 billion sets of login credentials and passwords, leading Google to advise billions of users to update their passwords and prompting the FBI to warn Americans about opening suspicious SMS links, according to a Forbes report published Thursday.

Cybernews researchers investigating the breach identified “30 exposed datasets,” each containing anywhere from tens of millions to over 3.5 billion records.

All but one of these datasets are newly exposed, meaning this is fresh data that has not been previously reported.

“This is not just a leak – it’s a blueprint for widespread exploitation,” the researchers said, emphasizing that these credentials mark a starting point for phishing attacks and account takeovers. “These aren’t recycled old breaches,” they cautioned, “but current, weaponizable intelligence on a massive scale.”

Most of the leaked information was organized as URLs followed by corresponding usernames and passwords, granting access to “virtually any online service imaginable,” including Apple, Facebook, Google, GitHub, Telegram, and various government platforms.

While alarming, the researchers noted the datasets were exposed only briefly—long enough to be discovered but not sufficient for determining who was behind the leak.

Cybernews concluded that multiple infostealer tools are responsible, but it remains unclear how many people or accounts have been compromised.

Security experts recommend using password managers, avoiding password sharing, and remaining vigilant in case personal credentials are breached.