Major Company Security Systems Were Hacked. What This Means for Your Data

Cybercriminals have broken into tens of thousands of security systems called Fortinet firewalls that many major companies use to protect their networks. These firewalls are supposed to keep hackers out, but the attackers used old passwords that were already known to break in. The group behind these attacks reportedly speaks Russian. This affects you if you are a customer of large companies that use Fortinet systems for security.

When a company's firewall is compromised, hackers can access the information stored inside their networks. This could include your personal information, purchase history, account details, or other data you have shared with these businesses. The problem is widespread, affecting companies all over the world.

Here is what you should do right now:

1. Monitor your bank and credit card statements closely for any charges you do not recognize.
2. Watch for emails or texts claiming to be from companies you do business with, especially if they ask you to click links or provide information.
3. If any company you use announces they were affected by a security breach, change your password for that account immediately.
4. Check your credit report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com to look for suspicious activity. For long term protection, use different passwords for each of your important accounts. Enable two factor authentication wherever it is offered, especially for email, banking, and shopping sites. This adds an extra security step that makes it much harder for hackers to access your accounts even if they steal a password. Consider using a password manager to keep track of your unique passwords safely.