News
RockYou2021: largest password compilation of all time leaked online with 8.4 billion entries
June 2021 by Dave Russell, VP of Enterprise Strategy at Veeam
The latest cyber crime story to hit the news is RockYou2021 - about a 100GB text file containing 8.4bn passwords, that has been combined from previous data leaks and breaches, being posted on a hacker forum. It is the largest compilation of all time to be leaked online. The story has already been covered in several tech publications including CyberNews, TechRadar Pro and TechRepublic.
Dave Russell, VP of Enterprise Strategy at Veeam :
This leak is extremely concerning, and while authentication details and passwords are posted publicly, often due to the fact that data breaches are unfortunately a regular occurrence, it’s the sheer number of passwords that have been leaked that makes this notable. What it tells us is there is real value to organisations taking data management and digital hygiene seriously. Regularly changing passwords, using other measures like multi-factor authentication where available, as well as keeping on top of where data is being stored exactly, are all measures to help reduce the impact of such leaks. If businesses don’t get on top of their digital hygiene and manage things properly, they’ll face more shadow IT issues and an increase in the corresponding risk of being breached.
Veeam’s Data Protection Report 2021 found as many as 53% of CXOs said the need to maintain operations during the pandemic had held back their strategic digital transformation initiatives. That isn’t necessarily surprising, but as we start to come out on the other side of pandemic management measures, leaders will have to find ways to make sure the digital infrastructure and skills acquired through short-term necessity can become more of a solid, longer-term vision.
