Apple, Facebook and Google users urged to change passwords following colossal data breach
20 June 2025, 11:58 | Updated: 20 June 2025, 12:36
Apple, Facebook and Google users have been told to change their passwords amid a colossal data breach.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Researchers say one of the largest data breaches in history, affecting 16 billion logins.
According to CyberNews, cybercriminals and hackers have been given "unprecedented access to personal credentials" for logins linked to Instagram, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Roblox, Discord, Telegram, GitHub.
It has also impacted various government services in more than 29 countries, including the UK and US.
Researchers at CyberNews, an independent cybersecurity research publication, came across 16 billion datasets with vague labels like 'logins' or 'credentials,.
This made it difficult for them to decipher exactly what information each dataset contained.
CyberNews fears the records were compiled by cyber criminals using info-stealing malware - a form of malicious software designed to breach computer systems to steal login details, financial information and other personal info.
The information was only available to the wider internet briefly, before being locked down, but it is not possible to determine who owned the databases.
Some of this data may also have been collected by "white hat" hackers - cybersecurity professionals who are authorised to test system for vulnerabilities in order to help improve security.
The data is recent and has not been recycled from previous breaches, CyberNews says.
It means a huge number of people likely had some of their accounts compromised, making them more vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Users across the globe are now being urged to change their passwords immediately.
Meta and Facebook have been approached for a comment.
