Emotet Botnet that establishes a backdoor on Windows systems has reportedly stolen 4 million email addresses over the past couple of years said Troy Hunt, the Regional Director of Microsoft and the founder of data breach disclosure digital firm HaveIBeenPwned.
All those compromised emails have been registered at the website of Mr. Troy and those concerned can check if their email addresses have been compromised by the threat actors of Emotet Botnet gang.
In fact, early April this year, FBI contacted Mr. Hunt on whether they can use the content backing HaveIbeenPwned to check the depth of the data trove and reported that the Microsoft’s senior executive was happy to help.
FBI stated in a media update that the gathered email addresses were sourced by Emotet gang in two ways- by sending spam emails to online users and trapping them and by harvesting credentials of such users from their web browsers, respectively.
The law enforcement agency of America is urging its users to change their email password, and any authentication related security question if they want to keep their email accounts secured from Emotet gang’s malicious intentions.
Using a strong unique password that is a mixture of alpha-numeric characters tucked with 1-2 special characters and taking help of 2-factor authentication will definitely help in curbing such digital menace.
Note- In January this year, FBI, Canadian and European police conducted Emotet botnet takedown.
