Data and information of over 500 million Facebook users went public during the weekend, an event wherein reports refer to as a “Facebook Hack.”
Personal data of over half a billion users of Facebook went online for free on Saturday. Reports have since deemed the event as the “Facebook Hack” of 2021.
Unfortunately, the data and information include full names, phone numbers, email addresses, locations, and even biographical information. Business Insider reported that this just adds to the over four billion records that have been stolen or leaked online in the last decade.
While officials and social media giants are reportedly working on the matter to resolve the issue, the damage is done. Nevertheless, internet users may check whether their respective data have been exposed using some websites and online tools.
“Have I Been Pwned” to check exposure
The same publication named the website “Have I Been Pwned” for netizens to use. It is a helpful tool to determine whether a user’s data “has been exposed in an online breach.”
Upon landing on the website, users just have to type in their email addresses. The platform, then, “cross-references” the address with the past breaches.
Following the process, users just need to click the “pwned” button beside the search bar. If the account is in the clear, a green page with a “Good News” greeting will appear. The landing page also includes references and tips to increase security.
On the other hand, a red page with an “Oh no — pwned!” warning will appear on the screen if the account was leaked or exposed. It will also tell the user how many data breaches the email has been found in, as well as the sites where it was publicly “pasted.”
Security analyst Troy Hunt maintains the website. It allows people to discover whether their data or personal information have been compromised or “pwned.”
“The News Each Day” after the Facebook Hack
Aside from “Have I Been Pwned,” iTechPost released another website that people may use to check whether a phone number has been leaked. As noted, Gizmodo tried and checked out the platform following the recent Facebook hack.
Users will just need to head over to the site, “The News Each Day,” and consequently type in the phone number. The date should not have any spaces, hyphens, or periods. It should also have the designated international country code at the beginning of the number.
Afterward, users will need to click the “Check” button. In doing so, the site will scan all resources in the database to determine whether the phone number is leaked online.
The same outlets, later on, advised individuals to update and increase the level of their security measures when it comes to their social media accounts. This should be done regularly, even if one is safe from the recent Facebook hack.
Images (1) & (2) courtesy of Stock Catalog/Flickr