whatismyip.zoneWhat is a Data Breach?
A data breach is a security incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an individual unauthorized to do so. Breaches can happen to any size company, from small startups to large multinational corporations.
Why is Checking for Breaches Important?
When your email and password are stolen in a breach, hackers often try to use those same credentials on other websites (a technique called 'credential stuffing'). If you reuse passwords, a breach on one minor website could lead to your important accounts, like your primary email or banking, being compromised.
- Awareness: Knowing which of your accounts have been compromised allows you to take immediate action.
- Password Hygiene: It's a powerful reminder of the importance of using unique passwords for every service.
- Account Security: It prompts you to enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on your accounts, which provides a critical layer of security even if your password is stolen.
What to Do if Your Email is Found in a Breach
If our tool finds your email in a breach, don't panic. Immediately go to the affected website and change your password. If you've used that same password anywhere else, change it there too. This is why using a password manager to generate unique passwords for every site is highly recommended.