A hot potato: Researchers have reportedly discovered a massive, unprecedented archive containing billions upon billions of compromised user credentials. Dubbed the “Mother of All Breaches,” the archive has sparked debate among experts about the true significance of this newly uncovered trove.

According to UN sources, the world population surpassed eight billion people in 2022. Now, Cybernews reporters claim they have uncovered a new record-breaking data breach exposing 16 billion passwords linked to nearly every type of online service imaginable. Simply put, the outlet suggests the breached archive contains at least a couple of passwords for every person alive today, which is highly unlikely.

Cybernews describes the archive as the largest data breach in history, dubbing it the “Mother of All Breaches.” Interestingly, the site reported a similar MOAB in 2024, allegedly exposing 26 billion records. The newly uncovered data is scattered across 30 different databases, meaning a significant portion likely consists of overlapping records.

The breach primarily stems from various infostealers, a major security threat that Big Tech and law enforcement agencies have been fighting with increasing effort and expense. Cybernews claims the 16 billion passwords are freshly “baked” data, not just recycled records from older breaches.

Cyber-criminals operating in underground online forums now have unprecedented access to personal information, Cybernews reports. Malicious actors could exploit this data to compromise all sorts of internet accounts, steal identities, or target valuable individuals and organizations with convincing phishing attacks.

Is modern online security as doomed as Cybernews researchers claim? According to other sources, this massive threat should be reconsidered – or at least taken with a grain of salt for now. As Bleeping Computer highlights, the newly alleged MOAB appears to consist largely of data collected from pre-existing breaches and infostealer campaigns. So far, there’s no evidence that the 16-billion-password archive contains new or previously unseen data.

As most internet users likely realize by now, modern passwords are generally terrible and continue to pose serious security risks. Experts recommend using a robust password manager to reduce the burden and improve safety. Alternatives to traditional passwords include passkeys, which leverage a device’s built-in security features to handle login procedures more securely.