On June 19, 2025, Cybernews investigators revealed the largest credential leak in history—over 16 billion login credentials exposed across 30 separate datasets, each containing between tens of millions and 3.5 billion records. These credentials span major platforms like Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, GitHub, Telegram, Netflix, PayPal, RTL, and even government portals.

Crucially, this was not due to a centralized breach at the major providers. Instead, infostealer malware—malicious software that quietly harvests credentials from infected devices—was the culprit. These weren't old leaks being recirculated; they were fresh, weaponizable credentials ready for exploitation (Forbes).

⚠️ Why It Matters to Businesses

• Account Takeovers: Compromised credentials provide attackers easy entry to services like email, cloud accounts, CRM platforms, and financial systems.

• Phishing Entirely Enabled: Armed with real usernames and passwords, attackers can craft targeted and convincing phishing campaigns.

• Regulatory and Legal Liability: Businesses that suffer breaches may face fines under regulations like CCPA, GDPR, or HIPAA.

• Supply Chain Threats: Skillfully breached vendor credentials can expose critical business systems and client data.

🔍 Signs You Might Be Affected

1. A sudden surge in suspicious login attempts from unknown IPs.

2. Employees unexpectedly locked out of systems or unable to change passwords.

3. Anomalies in internal account activity, like unusual file access or transaction spikes.

🛡️ Best Practices to Safeguard Your Business

1. Adopt Strong Password Hygiene

• Mandate unique, strong passwords (minimum 12 characters with mixed character types).

• Encourage or enforce the use of passkeys—phishing-resistant and increasingly supported by Google, Apple, and Microsoft.

2. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

• Require MFA on all sensitive systems—email, VPN, internal tools. Even if credentials are leaked, MFA can block unauthorized login.

3. Use Password Managers

• Provide or recommend enterprise-grade password managers to generate, store, and autofill unique credentials, preventing reuse .

4. Monitor the Dark Web

• Sign up for dark web monitoring services to detect if employee credentials have been exposed among the breached datasets.

5. Continuously Patch and Scan

• Regularly update OS, software, and browsers. Deploy endpoint detection tools to catch infostealer activity early (NIST).

6. Educate with Ongoing Training

• Run simulated phishing drills. Teach employees to watch for credential-stuffing login alerts and to recognize suspicious account behaviors.

7. Respond Rapidly to Breaches

• When credentials are exposed, immediately reset affected passwords and MFA methods. Revoke access tokens and session cookies promptly.

🧭 Conclusion: Turn Crisis into Action

This unprecedented leak is a wake-up call for every organization: even if your systems haven’t been directly breached, your credentials might already be. Businesses must go beyond reactive measures and assume that credential data is already compromised.

By implementing strong password policies, enabling MFA, utilizing passkeys and password managers, monitoring the dark web, keeping systems patched, and conducting regular employee education, businesses can build multi-layered defenses capable of withstanding tomorrow’s threats.

And you don’t have to do it alone. Forge specializes in helping businesses of all sizes assess vulnerabilities, improve security protocols, and respond effectively to evolving cyber threats.

👉 Don’t wait for a breach. Contact Forge today to protect your business.