The incident in which a total of 26 billion personal records were leaked is being labeled as the ‘largest data breach in history’.
According to the announcement by the National Cybersecurity Authority (USOM), the scale of the data breach is a staggering 12 terabytes.
This record-breaking breach has been dubbed the “Mother of All Breaches” or MOAB. The magnitude of this data breach is unprecedented and has not been seen before.
Threats and Measures
Data breaches, an undeniable reality in today’s digital world, pose a serious threat to users. The recent MOAB data breach, however, signifies a different dimension and level of danger.
What is MOAB?
MOAB stands for “Mother of All Breaches” and, according to Cybernews, it encompasses 15 billion records. This breach not only includes aggregated data from previous major breaches but also holds 11 billion previously unseen records.
Brands Affected by MOAB
The MOAB data breach contains records from at least 20 brands, totaling over 1 billion records. Chinese platforms Tencent and Weibo stand out as the most affected brands, along with internationally popular platforms like Twitter and Wattpad.
While the cause is yet to be determined, some attack types include:
- Identity Theft and Phishing: The data breach allows malicious actors access to extensive data pools for identity theft and sophisticated phishing schemes.
- Cyber Attacks: Threat actors can launch targeted cyber attacks to gain unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts.
- Spear-Phishing and Spam: In case users use the same passwords, attackers can use this information for spear-phishing attacks and high-volume spam emails.
User Precautions
- Different Usernames: Use different account names for personal and corporate social media accounts. Avoid using the same username for personal and corporate social media accounts and strive to maintain a distinction between them.
- Use Different Passwords: Enhance account security by using different and strong passwords for each platform.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Whenever possible, add an extra layer of security to your accounts by using two-factor authentication.
- Be Aware: Avoid clicking on non-traditional links in emails and messages, and be cautious of suspicious content.
- Personalize Default Settings: Spend a few minutes configuring privacy settings on your social media to make them more secure, as default settings are often less secure.
The MOAB data breach has the potential to significantly impact users. Therefore, individual precautions and careful behaviors are critically important for security.