A large set of exposed email addresses and matching passwords has surfaced online raising concerns for millions of users worldwide. The breach includes more than 183 million records and many of these belong to Gmail users. The information has been added to Have I Been Pwned, a public database that allows individuals to check if their data has been compromised.
It is important to note that Google has not been hacked. Instead, the leaked information was taken from personal devices infected with infostealer malware. These programs collect saved passwords, browser data, and login sessions without the user knowing. The stolen credentials were gathered from many infected computers across different regions and not from Gmail servers.
Cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt, who runs Have I Been Pwned, said the dataset is named Synthient Stealer Log Threat Data. The records contain email addresses along with passwords and many of them appear in plain text. Several entries show Gmail users could be at risk if they are still using the same passwords on multiple platforms.
Experts warn that infostealer malware is especially dangerous because it can capture saved session cookies. These can sometimes allow attackers to access accounts even if two factor authentication is enabled.
Users are advised to check whether their email appears in the breach. Visit the Have I Been Pwned website and enter your email address. If the results show that your email has been affected, change your password immediately. Use a strong and unique password and enable two factor authentication for additional security.
If you think your Gmail account may have been accessed without permission, use Google’s Security Checkup feature. It will help identify unknown login attempts or linked apps that should be removed. Security professionals recommend using passkeys or hardware keys for stronger protection rather than SMS based verification.
This incident highlights the growing risk of malware based data theft and the importance of maintaining updated security practices.
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