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On October 3, 2013, Adobe announced the compromise of about 3 million user names and passwords. That number has subsequently grown to 150 million - and likely affects you - as well as nearly 250K military, NSA, & government users.
If you
- have an account with Adobe or any of its online platforms to download software - OR
- have ever used Acrobat's "e-sign a document" feature on a document you received OR
- used the same PW for your Adobe or Acrobat account as for any other online account or platform
then its wise to (sigh) start changing PWs. Why? In a nutshell, Adobe's encryption of your user name, password, and any password hints was weak - really weak. When the database was stolen, all that went along for the ride (also lots of Adobe source code).
The stolen PW/login/hint database was discovered on a publically-accessible hacker-frequented website recently. This means you need to assume that every bad guy on the web has a copy.
Since the encryption was weak, and your login name at many other websites or platforms is potentially the same as the one Adobe had on record (for example, your email address), automated thief-ware platforms are likely busy right now trying your login/PW combination elsewhere - like FaceBook, Amazon.com, LinkedIn, etc. [In fact, FaceBook locked a significant number of accounts after cross-referencing to the stolen PW list.]
Breaches like this are a reality of our increasingly online lives. Managing distinct passwords for an ever-growing list of entities we interact with online is also challenging. Watch for password vault utility suggestions in the next SynerTel Sentinel.
Taking the worry out of your network!
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