According to the BBC, hackers have leaked the passwords to over six million user accounts on the social networking website LinkedIn.
The hackers posted a file containing the passwords to a Russian website. LinkedIn has over 150 million users.
Recently, LinkedIn updated the security on its mobile app after security researchers uncovered breaches in the program’s security. The mobile app security breaches released meeting notes, telephone passwords and calendar entries without users’ knowledge.
The hackers posted an encrypted file containing the passwords, but some reports claim that the file has already been cracked.
So far it does not appear that the passwords are coupled with their corresponding email addresses, but it is safe to assume that the hackers also have this information.
The original Norwegian report urges LinkedIn users to change their passwords immediately, especially if the password is used for multiple online accounts.
LinkedIn issued a message from its Twitter account Wednesday, saying, “Our team is currently looking into reports of stolen passwords. Stay tuned for more.”
LinkedIn is a social network geared specifically toward the business world, making the website a more attractive target for hackers.