Here's the quickest way to find out if you've been hacked

‘Have I Been Pwned?’ site uses data from publicly leaked breaches that’s been illegally obtained, then posted on web

Given the recent headlines of data hacks, one might wonder whether their own personal accounts are safe. Users have been taking certain measures to add extra layers of security such as Two-step authentication but how can you tell whether your account has been previously compromised or not.



The website ‘Have I Been Pwned’ might have an answer for you. The site monitors data dumps and hacking stories to see which accounts have been illegally accessed. By simply entering your email address or username, the site can tell if your account was breached in the past by searching the data from publicly leaked breaches that’s been illegally obtained and then posted on the web.

The site takes data from publicly leaked breaches that’s been illegally obtained and then posted on the web  PHOTO: SCREENGRAB

Recent hacks of LinkedIn, MySpace, Tumblr, Dropbox comprise of majority of the hacked results. Search result indicates which particular account linked to the email address or username has been breached, allowing you to take measures to beef up security of that account.

The site can also notify you if one of your accounts is comprised in the future.

People tend to keep the same password and security questions for multiple accounts/services. If you are one of them, take this opportunity to do what you should have done a long time ago — go to those accounts and change passwords and security questions. Try not keeping similar passwords for multiple devices as it’s a hackers’ lottery if they find a user with similar passwords.

Website where major breaches took place  PHOTO: SCREENGRAB



It’s a good idea to turn on two-step verification as well, if you haven’t already done so.

‘Have I Been Pwned?’ is just about the best and the most transparent site, and it’s free to use as well (unlike some of its rivals). A few minutes to check your current breach status is highy advised to prevent any future hacking incidents.

This article originally appeared on Gizmodo.