urgently modify your PayPal password if it appears on the following list
In a concerning turn of events, a cybercriminal is currently peddling millions of PayPal usernames and passwords on an online forum. This incident underscores the critical importance of strong passwords and two-factor authentication in safeguarding our digital identities.
According to various security experts, most data breaches are caused by weak passwords, with an alarming 81% of breaches attributed to this factor. To help users avoid weak passwords, several organisations such as NordPass, Hive Systems, and CyberGhost publish annual lists of common and easily hacked passwords.
The annual list of the "top 200 most common passwords" is published by NordPass, while Hive Systems and CyberGhost also provide lists of awful passwords, grouped by theme. It is crucial to ensure that your password, whether existing or changed, is not on these lists.
Using an authenticator app instead of SMS for two-step verification is advised, as SMS is inherently weak. If your device allows it, adding a passkey to link your account sign-in to your device's security is recommended. Enabling two-step verification on your PayPal account is also strongly advised.
The sale exposes the extent of weak passwords and password reuse across multiple platforms. It is, therefore, essential to regularly update passwords and use two-factor-authentication. If you haven't changed your PayPal password in a while, it is safest to assume it is included in the sale and change it now.
However, it is not possible to check whether your password is listed in the sale without buying the data for $750. Despite the claims, the dataset is not as large or as new as advertised; it does not contain 16 million passwords and is not a "massive 2025 PayPal breach." The data being sold comes from a 2022 breach, according to PayPal.
Weak passwords should be avoided, especially in banking, finance, email, and cloud data storage accounts. It is critical to safeguard these accounts, as they contain sensitive information that could be devastating if compromised.
In conclusion, the current sale of PayPal user data serves as a reminder of the importance of strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Regularly updating passwords and using authenticator apps for two-step verification can significantly reduce the risk of account breaches.
