258 million user data from Deezer were leaked in this massive breach
Deezer, a prominent figure in the audio streaming landscape, finds itself among the top companies affected in the recent “Mother Of All Breaches,” unveiling an astonishing 26 billion records, including 258 million from Deezer itself.
This incident marks yet another significant breach for Deezer, following a 220 million data leak in 2022.
Understanding the “Mother Of All Breaches”
The “Mother of All Breaches” (MOAB) is a term coined for the unparalleled scale and impact of the recent data leak discovered in January 2024. This leak comprises 12 terabytes of information and over 26 billion records, involving data from major platforms worldwide.
The MOAB includes records from over 3,800 separate data breaches. These are meticulously categorized in individual folders. And while most of the data appears to be from past breaches, there is a high likelihood that it also contains previously unpublished data.
Aside from Deezer, the breach also affects other major platforms. This includes Weibo, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Adobe, Canva, VK, Daily Motion, Dropbox, and Telegram. It also contains sensitive data from various government organizations in countries like the United States, Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, and Turkey.
The types of data leaked are not limited to just credentials. They also include more sensitive personal information.
While the exact nature of this sensitive data is not specified, this typically includes names, email addresses, and passwords. It can also have more personal details like phone numbers, addresses, or financial information.
Deezer’s Troubled History with Data Security
This isn’t the first time the music streaming giant has fallen victim to a cyberattack.
In 2023, Deezer admitted to a large data breach that compromised the details of over 220 million users.
This breach, traced back to mid-2019, was due to a third-party partner falling prey to cybercriminals. It came to light in late 2022 when a hacker posted data from over 200 million Deezer users for sale on a hacking forum.
The data breach involved the unauthorized access and theft of a snapshot of user data. The leaked information included full names, birthdays, email addresses, gender, location data, join dates, and user IDs.
However, Deezer assured that no passwords or payment details were compromised as a result of the attack.
Despite this, specialists warned that the data continues to pose a threat to users’ privacy and security. For example, email addresses might be exploited in phishing schemes or to send spam to users. IP addresses could also be utilized for tracking users’ internet behavior.
In response, Deezer advised its users to change their passwords and remain vigilant for any unusual activity in their accounts. They also announced the implementation of enhanced security measures.
What Users Can Do In Response to the Data Breach
If you’re worried that your online data might have been compromised, there are practical steps you can take.
First, it’s advisable to check if your data has been affected. Cybernews offers a data leak checker where you can verify if your email or phone number is part of this breach. This quick check can provide some immediate peace of mind or alert you to take necessary actions.
Experts also advise users to improve their “cyber hygiene”. To do this, you should:
- Adopt strong, complex passwords that mix letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Enable multi-factor authentication for additional security layers.
- Stay alert for phishing and spear-phishing attempts to protect sensitive information.
- Regularly check for and eliminate password duplicates across different accounts.