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Facebook Data Breach: What & How It Happened?

Facebook Data Breach: What & How It Happened?

Twingate Team

Jun 28, 2024

In April 2021, Facebook experienced a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of users. The breach was investigated by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) to determine if the company complied with Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws. This event led to a significant fine being imposed on Meta, formerly known as Facebook, in November 2022.

How many accounts were compromised?

The breach impacted data related to over 533 million users.

What data was leaked?

The data exposed in the breach included full names, phone numbers, locations, and birthdates of Facebook users.

How was Facebook hacked?

Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook's system, allowing them to access and scrape the personal information of millions of users. The company has since made changes to its systems to prevent unauthorized data scraping and continues to work on addressing this industry-wide challenge.

Facebook's solution

In response to the hack, Facebook made changes to their systems to prevent unauthorized data scraping. While specific security measures remain unclear, the company has taken steps to address the issue and is reviewing the decision made by Ireland's Data Protection Commission. Facebook's efforts aim to protect user data and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

How do I know if I was affected?

It is not explicitly mentioned whether Facebook reached out to affected users. However, if you're concerned about your data being compromised, you can visit HaveIBeenPwned to check your credentials.

What should affected users do?

In general, affected users should:

  • Change Your Password: Immediately update your password for the breached account. Make sure the new password is strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.

  • Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.

  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on the breached account. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

  • Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it to the platform immediately.

For more specific help and instructions related to Facebook's data breach, please contact Facebook Help Center directly.

Where can I go to learn more?

If you want to find more information on the Facebook data breach, check out the following news articles:

Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.

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Facebook Data Breach: What & How It Happened?

Facebook Data Breach: What & How It Happened?

Twingate Team

Jun 28, 2024

In April 2021, Facebook experienced a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of users. The breach was investigated by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) to determine if the company complied with Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws. This event led to a significant fine being imposed on Meta, formerly known as Facebook, in November 2022.

How many accounts were compromised?

The breach impacted data related to over 533 million users.

What data was leaked?

The data exposed in the breach included full names, phone numbers, locations, and birthdates of Facebook users.

How was Facebook hacked?

Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook's system, allowing them to access and scrape the personal information of millions of users. The company has since made changes to its systems to prevent unauthorized data scraping and continues to work on addressing this industry-wide challenge.

Facebook's solution

In response to the hack, Facebook made changes to their systems to prevent unauthorized data scraping. While specific security measures remain unclear, the company has taken steps to address the issue and is reviewing the decision made by Ireland's Data Protection Commission. Facebook's efforts aim to protect user data and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

How do I know if I was affected?

It is not explicitly mentioned whether Facebook reached out to affected users. However, if you're concerned about your data being compromised, you can visit HaveIBeenPwned to check your credentials.

What should affected users do?

In general, affected users should:

  • Change Your Password: Immediately update your password for the breached account. Make sure the new password is strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.

  • Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.

  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on the breached account. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

  • Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it to the platform immediately.

For more specific help and instructions related to Facebook's data breach, please contact Facebook Help Center directly.

Where can I go to learn more?

If you want to find more information on the Facebook data breach, check out the following news articles:

Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.

Facebook Data Breach: What & How It Happened?

Twingate Team

Jun 28, 2024

In April 2021, Facebook experienced a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of users. The breach was investigated by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) to determine if the company complied with Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws. This event led to a significant fine being imposed on Meta, formerly known as Facebook, in November 2022.

How many accounts were compromised?

The breach impacted data related to over 533 million users.

What data was leaked?

The data exposed in the breach included full names, phone numbers, locations, and birthdates of Facebook users.

How was Facebook hacked?

Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook's system, allowing them to access and scrape the personal information of millions of users. The company has since made changes to its systems to prevent unauthorized data scraping and continues to work on addressing this industry-wide challenge.

Facebook's solution

In response to the hack, Facebook made changes to their systems to prevent unauthorized data scraping. While specific security measures remain unclear, the company has taken steps to address the issue and is reviewing the decision made by Ireland's Data Protection Commission. Facebook's efforts aim to protect user data and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

How do I know if I was affected?

It is not explicitly mentioned whether Facebook reached out to affected users. However, if you're concerned about your data being compromised, you can visit HaveIBeenPwned to check your credentials.

What should affected users do?

In general, affected users should:

  • Change Your Password: Immediately update your password for the breached account. Make sure the new password is strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.

  • Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.

  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on the breached account. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

  • Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it to the platform immediately.

For more specific help and instructions related to Facebook's data breach, please contact Facebook Help Center directly.

Where can I go to learn more?

If you want to find more information on the Facebook data breach, check out the following news articles: