Expert Advises LinkedIn Users to Change Passwords After Russian Hacker Claim
Image from Shutterstock.
A Russian hacker claims he has broken into LinkedIn and posted nearly 6.5 million passwords online.
The report has not been confirmed, but LinkedIn acknowledges on Twitter that it is looking into the claim, report CNET News, BBC News, Slaw and The Verge. The hacker says he has uploaded the encrypted passwords and is inviting others to help decrypt them.
Security expert Graham Cluley gave this advice to LinkedIn users in an interview with the BBC: “Our advice is to change your LinkedIn password. And if you use the same password on other accounts, change it there too.”
According to The Verge, simple passwords are most at risk for quick decryption.
CNet offers these step-by-step instructions on how to change your password on LinkedIn after logging onto your account. “Click on your name in the upper right corner and then click on the link for settings. In the settings section, click on the change link next to password. You’ll be prompted to enter your old password and then create a new one. Aim to pick a complex password that’s not easy to decipher. Then click on the change password button.”
