Don’t wait to get hacked — Check if your password was leaked in the 16 million data breach

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Imagine waking up and finding out that someone logged into your Gmail, changed your bank app password, or hijacked your Facebook account to message your contacts. Sounds like a bad dream, right? Well, it’s now a real possibility.

A massive data breach has exposed over 16 billion usernames and passwords online, affecting people across the world, including South Africa. Your email login, bank credentials, Facebook, Apple ID, Instagram,Netflix account, all of these could be part of the leak. And the worst part is you won’t know until something strange happens.

So if you’ve ever used the same password more than once or haven’t changed your password in years, this is your sign.

Cybersecurity researchers recently uncovered what could be the largest data breach ever recorded, about 16 billion login credentials stolen through malware and phishing attacks, then leaked and briefly exposed online.

This wasn’t a hack of one single company. The passwords were collected from infected devices using infostealer malware, which silently captures everything a user types, including emails, usernames, passwords, bank details, and more.Yes, there’s a real chance your credentials are somewhere in that massive pile.

Why you should be worried

In South Africa, many people:

Use one password across several accounts
Rely on phones with no password manager or two-factor protection
Share devices with others (family, colleagues)
Use public Wi-Fi without extra security
Don’t regularly update apps or change passwords

That’s a dangerous mix in today’s digital world.

With this breach, if you use Gmail for everything; email, banking alerts, work documents, and social sign-ins, and your password is part of the leak, someone out there can now access your entire digital life.

How to know if your password was leaked

Here’s the good news: You can check for free.Use trusted online tools like https//haveibeenpwned.com

How it works:

Enter your email address
The tool will check if it appeared in any known data breaches
You’ll get a result in seconds, either “safe” or “compromised”

Don’t worry: these tools are safe and don’t store your data.

If you’ve ever signed up for something random and reused a password, you should still check. It takes less than a minute.

What to do right now if you’ve been affected

Even if you haven’t checked yet, assume you’re affected and take action. Prevention is better than damage control.

Change your passwords immediatelyStart with the most important ones: Gmail, Bank apps, Social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), Apple ID or Google account, Shopping platforms
Use a strong, unique password for each one. Not your birthday. Not “123456.” Not your pet’s name. Mix uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers.
Don’t use the same password twiceIf one account gets compromised and you’ve reused that password, all your other accounts are exposed too. Think of your passwords like house keys, you wouldn’t use one key for your house, office, and car.
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)This simple step can save you from a hack. Even if someone has your password, they can’t log in without a code sent to your phone or email.
Start using a password managerWe know that remembering passwords is hard. That’s why password managers exist. They create and store strong, secure passwords for you. All you need is one master password.

How to stay safe going forward

Make these 5 things part of your online hygiene routine:

Always use strong, different passwords for each account
Change your main passwords every 6 months
Turn on 2FA for every important service
Don’t save passwords in your phone notes app
Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi without a VPN

This isn’t one of those tech headlines that only concerns IT people. It’s personal. If you have an email address, use WhatsApp, shop online, or do mobile banking, this affects you directly.You don’t have to wait until someone drains your bank account or hacks your Instagram before taking action.

A few simple changes like updating your passwords, turning on two-factor authentication, and avoiding sketchy links can protect you from serious damage.We always say, “Prevention is better than cure,” right? This is digital prevention. The internet isn’t getting any safer, but you can get wiser. Start now.