A massive data breach exposing 16 billion login credentials from major platforms including Google, Apple, Facebook, GitHub, and Telegram has surfaced online, according to a Cybernews investigation.
The compromised information spans 30 distinct databases, each containing website addresses alongside usernames and passwords. These datasets range in size from tens of millions to 3.5 billion entries, marking this as potentially one of history's most significant leaks.
Cybernews highlighted that one database, containing 455 million records, appears linked to Russian users based on its name, while another holds over 60 million Telegram-related entries.
"This isn't merely a leak—it's a blueprint for large-scale exploitation. With over 16 billion compromised accounts, cybercriminals now have unparalleled access to personal information, enabling account hijacking, identity fraud, and precision phishing campaigns," the report stated.
Researchers noted that nearly all the exposed data was previously unpublished. The majority was likely harvested via malware distributed through phishing emails or malicious websites.
In related cybersecurity developments, The New York Times recently revealed that Chinese state-affiliated hackers have persistently targeted Russian government systems since May 2022, seeking military intelligence. These intrusions reportedly continued despite public declarations of cooperation between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.