Forum data breach?

It's been many months since I signed on to this forum. When I did, I got a Chrome warning that my password was found in a data breach. So I changed it. Does anyone have more info about this?

Quote: 21forme

It's been many months since I signed on to this forum. When I did, I got a Chrome warning that my password was found in a data breach. So I changed it. Does anyone have more info about this?

could mean you used the same password on another site and that site had a data breach?

Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari all have built in password managers that check the passwords you use against databases of passwords known to be compromised. If you have never used the password you use here elsewhere, then there might be a strong reason to suspect a problem with this site. If you reuse passwords over time or use the same password on multiple sites, then a problem with this particular site is far less likely.

If there were a breach of this site’s passwords, I think many other members would be reporting getting the same warning.

Quote: OnceDear

Chrome gives me the same warning when I use my online stock broker account, in spite of my password being strong and unique AND changed, since last time I logged in. I'm convinced it was a false positive.

Still. Change passwords. NEVER re-use them across different sites.

Quote: 100xOdds

could mean you used the same password on another site and that site had a data breach?

I use a unique password on every site. Changed this one today.

I use a unique password on every site, too. And although the browser or OS remembers the passwords for me, I also make it easy for me to remember for multiple devices.

I do this by using a code for the site followed by a 10 character string that is the same for every website.

And every couple years, I update my passwords with a new 10 character string - but still something somewhat easy for me to remember.

.....................


my two cents worth

I believe it's a mistake to use a Password Manager or allow MS Edge or Chrome or any browser to store your passwords

their job is to protect you against vulnerabilities from other sites

but they themselves could be vulnerable

probably their protections are greater than typical sites - but still, there's no guarantee that they themselves couldn't be breached



.

This is only an issue if the website that was hacked stores password in plain text

Quote: heatmap

This is only an issue if the website that was hacked stores password in plain text

... or one of the older "salt" based reversible obfuscations, or a cryptographically secure one way hash without a unique and protected salt with a readily available rainbow table, or...