Google Hacked: 2.5 Billion Users Recommended to Change Passwords Due to Hackers

What happened?

The hacking group ShinyHunters, posing as tech support staff, managed to gain access to the Salesforce database, which contained contact information for small and medium-sized businesses. According to rough estimates, this amounts to over 2.5 billion user data entries. While most of the stolen information was publicly available, Google experts warn that these methods could be used for more extensive attacks.

ShinyHunters is a well-known hacking group that has been behind numerous major data breaches since 2020, including attacks on AT&T, Microsoft, Santander, and Ticketmaster. Google is concerned that the hackers might use the stolen data for blackmail by creating a separate website to publish the stolen information.

How to protect yourself?

Following this incident, Google has reminded users of key security rules:

• Change your password. This is the primary measure to prevent unauthorized access.

• Use two-factor authentication. Enable this feature so your account remains secure even if your password is leaked.

• Be cautious of phishing. Always verify emails that ask for personal information. Attackers often disguise themselves as official services.

All users affected by the incident have received an official notification from Google via email.