The personal data of 533 million Facebook users leaked online. That’s a large percentage of the world’s population, so you should check to see if your account or phone number was affected. We’ll show you so you can protect yourself.
What Facebook Data was Stolen?
The first thing you probably want to know is what type of information was released. The data includes pretty much anything available on your account. Full name, phone number, locations, birthday, email addresses, relationship status, you name it.
This personal data was released online and anyone can access it for free if they know where to look. The 533 million affected users are from the U.S., U.K., India, and over 100 other countries. Essentially, if you have a Facebook account, this is something to be concerned about.
This means that if you have a Facebook account, it is extremely likely the phone number used for the account was leaked.
I have yet to see Facebook acknowledging this absolute negligence of your data. https://t.co/ysGCPZm5U3 pic.twitter.com/nM0Fu4GDY8
— Alon Gal (Under the Breach) (@UnderTheBreach) April 3, 2021
The origin of this particular security breach goes back to early 2020 when that same number of accounts, 533 million, had their phone numbers leaked. This latest leak builds on that and makes the situation even worse.
RELATED: [Update: HaveIBeenPwned] Personal Data of 533 Million Facebook Users Stolen by Hackers
How to Check if Your Phone Number Was Stolen From Facebook
First, let’s start with phone numbers. You can use a website called “The News Each Day” to check if your phone number was included in the leak.
Go to the website in a web browser such as Google Chrome and enter your phone number in the text box. Click “Check” when you’re done.
If your phone number is not included in the leak, you’ll see the message below that reads, “Result: Your phone number is not in the data.”
If your number is included, you should at minimum change your Facebook account’s password. We also recommend using two-factor authentication whenever possible.
RELATED: How to Secure Your Facebook Account
How to Check if Your Email Address Was Stolen From Facebook
To check if your email address was leaked, we’ll be using a website called “Have I Been Pwned.”
Head to the website in a web browser such as Google Chrome. Enter the email address you’re concerned about and click the “Pwned?” button.
Unfortunately, it’s highly likely that you will find your address has been compromised in data breaches that don’t include Facebook’s. Scroll down the page and look for Facebook. If you don’t see it, you were not affected by the recent leak.
If you do see Facebook listed here, or you’re concerned about the other breaches, it’s a good idea to change your password and use two-factor authentication whenever possible.
Data breaches are never a good thing, especially on websites as massive as Facebook. Keep tabs on your information and make sure to take action if you have been affected.
RELATED: What Is Two-Factor Authentication, and Why Do I Need It?
