5,941 files of passwords just hit the dark web

1.4 million files leaked.

What about your passwords?

Hello,

On September 4, a ransomware crew dumped 5.79 terabytes stolen from a German state government network on the dark web – including 5,941 files with passwords in them. Germany’s federal cybersecurity agency is now warning of targeted phishing, because the criminals are holding real data.

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What is on the dark web:

1,439,893 files from two state agencies in Berlin, Germany, taken between August 7 and 12. Berlin refused to pay the ransom of roughly two million euros, so everything was published.

More than 5,000 personnel files, 77,939 legal and complaint proceedings, and 46,522 contracts
Copies of ID documents, 148 bank account numbers, and 5,941 files with passwords in them
Those affected include government employees, but also private residents and companies. Notifications are going out by mail or email, based on risk.

That is what makes the next wave dangerous: an email that knows your name, your case, and your address looks real. Three federal agencies are going through the data right now.

Secure your passwords now

1. One password per account

Reuse the same password everywhere and one leak costs you every account, not just one. The password manager creates a strong, individual password for every login and fills it in for you in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. You never have to remember any of them.

2. Get passwords out of your documents

The leaked data set holds 5,941 files with passwords in them. That is exactly how the damage happens: credentials in text files, spreadsheets, and sticky notes. In the password manager, license keys, Wi-Fi passwords, and notes are held with 256-bit AES encryption, encrypted and decrypted on your devices only.

3. Where passkeys are offered, use passkeys

A passkey lives in your keychain and is applied automatically. On a copycat sign-in page there is nothing to type, and therefore nothing that can end up in the wrong hands.