How was Dropbox Hacked?

After Linkedln and Yahoo, the tech firm whose site has been recently hacked is the Dropbox. Dropbox was lately in news for wrong reasons and its own blog stated, “Our investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts. We have contacted these users and have helped them protect their accounts.”

Dropbox believes that a stolen password was even used to access an employee Dropbox account that consisted of a project document with user email addresses. It is due to this improper access that has resulted in the spam.

Early in the month of July, when some hundred Dropbox users started receiving spam emails about gambling websites and online casinos, it was felt like something was cooking. According to the online file storage service, “hackers accessed usernames and passwords from third party sites in order to get into Dropbox user’s accounts”.

Staying Safe

Reportedly, Dropbox has urged its users to change the passwords of their profiles on social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., or any other networking sites that are attached with Dropbox or have common passwords. After this hacking fiasco the company is making sure that the affected users change their passwords instantly.

How to Secure Your Password?

Today, there are password tools like LastPass, which enables you to manage several accounts bearing different passwords. They help you to set up an account and remember just one master password. All other important details are safely stored in a secure spot.

You are recommended to follow some tips on password security so as to keep a check on your account and save yourself from becoming victim to a security breach. These include:

• Use a combination of uppercase as well as lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.
• Change your password at an interval of every few months or once every year.
• Don’t use the same password for your multiple accounts.
• For high priority accounts, you should create strong passwords. Be cautious of spam emails.
• It is not safe to click on a link that comes from an unfamiliar source.
• You may use lines from your favorite song, movie or book in order to create passwords that are strong and memorable.