In light of the recent massive data breach/leak, dubbed the “Mother of All Breaches” involving 26 billion records from various popular sites, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) urges the public to take the necessary steps to secure their online accounts.
This breach, as per the experts is one of the biggest leaks in history and has exposed a vast amount of personal data from people worldwide, encompassing personal information, email addresses, passwords, and financial data. The impact of this leak may extend to Fiji, as well.
Cybersecurity expert, Bob Dyachenko of SecurityDiscovery.com, who discovered the leak, emphasised that the dataset presents a high level of danger, with the potential for threat actors to exploit it in various malicious activities, including identity theft, sophisticated phishing, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts.
What you should do:
1. Check Your Data: Use tools like [Have I Been Pwned] (https://haveibeenpwned.com/) and [Cybernews’ Personal Data Leak Checker] (https://cybernews.com/) to see if your personal information has been compromised in this or any other breach.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): For all online accounts, especially those containing sensitive personal or financial information, enable 2FA. This adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password.
3. Update Passwords: If your data has been compromised or if you are using the same password across multiple sites, change your passwords immediately. Use strong, unique passwords for each account with a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
4. Regular Monitoring: Regularly monitor your accounts for any unusual activity and report any suspicious behaviour immediately to your service provider or ICT support.
5. Stay Informed and Cautious: New cyber threats emerge daily. Staying informed about the latest online threats and being cautious about sharing personal information online, is critical.
The public is reminded that this breach should not be taken lightly, as it could pose a serious threat to your privacy and security. The exposed information can be exploited for identity theft, phishing scams, and financial fraud. It is vital that we collectively take immediate steps to safeguard ourselves and our fellow Fijians.
FCCC is dedicated to consumer protection, and online safety is a part of this in the digital age. We urge everyone to take these steps seriously and to remain vigilant in the face of growing online dangers.
