Yesterday, eBay announced that it is the latest victim of a massive data breach affecting millions of its customers. If you are an eBay customer, change your password immediately. Beyond that, here’s what you need to know.
What information was compromised in the eBay breach?
eBay stores customer credit card numbers in a database separate from the one that was compromised. So eBay customer financial information should be safe. However, the data that was compromised includes highly sensitive personal data, including names, dates of birth, passwords, emails, physical addresses, and phone numbers.
How many accounts are affected?
All of eBay’s accounts were reportedly compromised. Yes, all 145 million of them.
When did this happen?
The eBay breach occurred between late February and early March of this year. However, it was only just discovered this month.
How did the hackers get in?
The thieves managed to get their hands on several employee login credentials for eBay’s corporate network. This enabled them to copy the account information from all 145 million of eBay’s customers.
What will the thieves do with the data?
The collection of data compromised gives the thieves a golden opportunity to cash in on phishing scams or identity theft.
Was PayPal breached too?
No. PayPal account information is stored separately from eBay accounts.
What about the accounts of users on other eBay websites?
The eBay website is reportedly the only eBay property affected by the breach, meaning all other eBay-associated accounts should be safe. This includes PayPal, as well as StubHub, eBay Classifieds, Tradera, Gmarket, GumTree, and GittiGidiyor.
What can I do to protect myself?
Change Your Password
Though eBay does encrypt its passwords, they can be unscrambled. So, first and foremost, change your eBay password. If you use the same password for PayPal, change it there too. The same goes for any other sites where you also used the same password. If thieves take the time to unscramble the encrypted passwords, they could try accessing your other online accounts.
May this serve as a reminder to use unique passwords across the board. If you’re using the same one everywhere, a single data breach of one website ends up potentially compromising your accounts on them all.
Avoid Phishing Scams
Beware of the potential for phishing scams, in which you could receive emails asking you to click on links or provide personally-identifying information, like social security numbers. Do not respond. The same goes for phone calls.
Check Your Credit Reports
Check your credit reports regularly to be sure there is no unauthorized activity. Normally, this is advised at least once a year. But when personal data has been compromised — as in the eBay breach — more frequent monitoring is recommended, say every 3 to 6 months.
How do I create a strong password?
They should include at least one capital letter, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters. Avoid passwords that include your name (or the names of loved ones), birthdates, etc. And the more non-sensical the better, meaning you’re best-served avoiding real words that can be found in the dictionary.
Get more tips on protecting yourself on the internet, like hiding your IP address and shielding your credit card number when making online purchases.