If you use Norton Password Manager, you should be on guard: Hackers have used automated password-guessing attacks to successfully break into around 8,000 Norton Password Manager user accounts.
The Company wrote in the data breach notice: “We determined that, beginning around December 1, 2022, an unauthorised third party had used a list of usernames and passwords obtained from another source, such as the dark web, to attempt to log into Norton customer accounts. Our own systems were not compromised.”
Norton has begun to send out email alerts to thousands of people who use Norton password Manger alerting them that an unauthorised party may have gained access to their personal information along with the passwords they have stored in their vaults.
Should you be worried?
The success of this attack relies on people’s tendency to reuse passwords across multiple online accounts. If your Norton account was compromised in the attack and you use the same password for your password manager vault, then you’re especially at risk of having your vault data compromised by an unauthorized party.
If attackers are successful in gaining access to your vault, they’ll have access to the usernames and passwords for all the online accounts you have stored in your password manager. You could get locked out of all your accounts and depending on the account logins you have stored in your vault; extremely sensitive personal information may be exposed. Attackers would also have access to any credit card details or secure notes saved in your vault.
What should you do?
If you’ve received Norton’s notification, then you’ll need to immediately change your Norton account password as well as your Norton Password Manager password to a unique long master password.
Then you should change the passwords to every single one of your other online accounts, making sure to create unique strong passwords for each one. We suggest starting with the most important accounts first, like anything related to finances, work or health. Then move on to others, like email accounts and social media accounts, before continuing with your potentially less-critical online accounts.
Ensure to also enable Two-Factor Authentication on any account that offers it (including your Norton account) to give yourself an added layer of protection.
How Can we Help?
If you would like some assistance in ensuring all your account passwords are changed and secure and as well and ensuring all accounts are protected and safe.
You can book out one of our Geeks for an hour to do it all for you onsite or in the workshop.
or complete our Online Booking Form form today to set up an appointment with a computer repair technician