Google users all over the world woke up to a startling piece of news: 16 billion login credentials were leaked. In what’s being called the largest data breach in history so far, multiple outlets warned Google, Facebook, Apple and other users that their passwords may have been compromised by infostealers.
Below, learn what happened in the latest Google data breach and find out how to check if you’ve been PWNED.
How Were Google Passwords Leaked?
According to Forbes, the massive leak can be attributed to multiple infostealers. Though the breach is of mass concern, researchers have reportedly said that the dataset exposure was brief. So, there was likely enough time for datasets to be discovered, researchers could not figure out who was in control of the data.
Whose Data Was Breached in the Leak?
Apparently, 16 billion login credentials were leaked around the world. Per Vilius Petkauskas at Cybernews, have been investigate this leak since the beginning of 2025, and “30 exposed datasets containing from tens of millions to over 3.5 billion records each.” According to Forbes, the leak includes logins from social media accounts, VPNs and user accounts for major vendors.
“This is not just a leak — it’s a blueprint for mass exploitation,” the researchers said, Forbes reported. “These aren’t just old breaches being recycled,” they warned, “this is fresh, weaponizable intelligence at scale.
How to Check if You’ve Been PWNED
For an easy way to check if your data has been compromised, the website haveibeenpwned.com allows users to enter their email address to find out if they have any security alerts associated with that email.
It’s vital to change your passwords from time to time or switch to passkeys, experts suggest. Facial or fingerprint recognition helps guarantee safety in logging into apps and website from a smartphone or other device.
Tech experts recommend changing a passkey on Apple devices, via Facebook and via Google.
Read the full article here
