Dropbox Blames Security Breach on Password Reuse

The company is urging users to enable two-step authentication

Dropbox Blames Security Breach on Password ReuseDropbox is urging users to enable two-step authentication after reports that the login credentials for millions of its users has been compromised. A claim stated that hackers had stolen seven million user names and passwords from Dropbox.

A claim said hackers had stolen seven million user names and passwords from the online file-storage service. In a blog post, the company said hackers may have stolen usernames and passwords from other sites and attempted to use them on Dropbox.

Following the post, Dropbox reset the passwords of all users it believed to be affected by the attacks. “We’d previously detected these attacks and the vast majority of the passwords posted have been expired for some time now. All other remaining passwords have been expired as well.”

It is common for hackers to steal data from one site and find the same credentials work on other services, such as Dropbox in this case. After millions of email addresses and passwords were stolen from Adobe last year, Facebook forced many users to change their passwords.

About the Author

Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media, Inc. He received his MFA and BA in journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He currently writes and edits for Occupational Health & Safety magazine, and Security Today.

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.