February 25, 2021 - Researchers discovered a file containing the account information of 14 million users of Amazon and eBay that is for sale on the dark web. The file contained data on accounts from multiple countries includes full names, countries of origin, email addresses, physical addresses and password information. The file was being sold for $800.

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At present it isn't believed that either of the sites was hacked. One researcher suggested that the information was obtained using a method known as password spraying. That's when a computer bot is used to gain access to multiple accounts by attempting to guess their passwords. Those who use easy passwords are vulnerable to this type of attack.

Given the fact that this doesn't currently appear to be a data breach by either company, users shouldn't expect to receive any notification from either of them. Amazon and eBay users who have been using easy to remember passwords would be well advised to change them immediately. Additionally, these users should also be leary of any unsolicited email that they receive as it is quite likely their email addresses will be targeted for SPAM and in phishing attacks.

by Jim Malmberg

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