Spotify has recently suffered a data breach and a lot of users are panicking. They are worried that their personal information could be stolen. The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself.
Credential stuffing attacks
The Swedish-based audio streaming service Spotify has been hit by two credential stuffing attacks in the last few months. It is believed that attackers had access to the credentials of hundreds of thousands of Spotify users. They used the information in the database to attempt to take over the accounts. This could be done through a variety of methods, such as identity theft and credit card fraud.
The company notified all of its impacted users to reset their passwords. After the discovery of the data breach, they urged the hosting ISP to shut down the fraudulent database. The database contains user records, including usernames, passwords, and countries of residence. This data can be a valuable asset in an attack, since it allows hackers to create personal profiles that can be used for other purposes.
Previously, Spotify faced a credential stuffing attack in November. The hackers used stolen credentials to enter the company’s cloud database, and subsequently tried to take over accounts. They were later caught by security researchers. This attack was also successful, and it caused disruption to Spotify customers.
The second credential stuffing attack against the company occurred in February 2021. This time, the hackers gained access to a misconfigured cloud database. It contained over 380 million individual records and login credentials for hundreds of thousands of Spotify users. Fortunately, a security researcher was able to discover the database and notify Spotify. The security team at the company responded quickly, forcing the passwords of all of its impacted customers to be changed.
According to the report, the bad actors used the credentials they had obtained through other data breaches and the dark web. They then created a database that contained over 300,000 records, including email addresses, usernames, passwords, and countries of residency. This database was hosted on an Elasticsearch server. The data was unencrypted, which means it could be easily accessed by bad actors.
After the data breach, the security researcher contacted Spotify on July 9th. Spotify confirmed the attack and immediately prompted its users to change their passwords. However, the company denied any information was exposed. The hackers could have accessed email addresses, credit card information, and physical addresses.
After the discovery, Spotify urged its hosting ISP to delete the fraudulent database. The database was 72 gigabytes in size. It contained data records of over 300K Spotify users, which includes their usernames, passwords, and countries of résidence. It was stored on an unprotected Elasticsearch database. It appears that the attackers acquired the database through data breaches and repurposed it for a credential stuffing attack.
The attack appears to be similar to the one that targeted The North Face in October. The company detected a large number of premium accounts on the dark web, and had to reset the passwords of an undetermined number of clients.
Recovering a hacked account
If you’re a Spotify user, you may have heard the buzz about hackers wreaking havoc on their users’ accounts. The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the onslaught. You can even get in touch with the company’s customer service department if you notice a problem, or if you just want to ask a question.
First and foremost, it’s important to note that you don’t have to be an expert in computer security to prevent a hack. You can use a security application such as Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection. You can also install the latest updates to your operating system to protect you against malware. You should also keep an eye out for any security warnings that you may receive, since these could signal that your account has been compromised.
One thing you should do is check your credit card statements to see if your Spotify subscription has been billed by an unsavory third party. While you’re at it, you might also want to contact your bank to see if there’s a change in your account’s status. This can occur due to a forgotten password, or even an account lockout.
Another thing you should do is sign out of any unauthorized connections to your Spotify account. This includes the web player, tablet, or mobile phone. To do this you will need to open the app, select Account, then Log out. You might even want to set a reminder to do this regularly, especially if you have an automatic payment set up. You should also make sure that you don’t use the same password for all your online services. This will help you to avoid any potential phishing schemes.
If you don’t have time to sift through your bank statements, or you’re not comfortable contacting your bank, you can always reach out to Spotify to see if your account is compromised. The company will be more than happy to assist you if you’re a victim of a hack, but you’ll need to provide them with the necessary information. You’ll need your username and password to do so, as well as your bank information if you’re paying for your Spotify via debit or credit card. This will give you access to their customer support team, who can walk you through the recovery process and help you fix any billing errors you might have.
To be safe, you should make sure that you have a strong password for your Spotify account. For added safety, you can create a backup password in case your primary login gets compromised, or if you lose the password altogether. You can also choose to have your email address, or even both, changed to a more secure password. Aside from changing your password, you might want to consider implementing some form of two-factor authentication.
Removing third-party apps
If you’re considering removing third-party apps from your Spotify account, you might want to consider the following points:
First, don’t confuse a third-party app with an unauthorized Spotify app. The unofficial Spotify client is the opposite of official and will typically try to steal your information. This includes a variety of features, from music playlists to your name and email address.
Second, don’t use the same password for your Spotify account and other accounts. Hackers can access your account using a compromised email address, and they’ll find it easier to phish for your credentials if you use the same password for several websites.
Finally, don’t install any app that isn’t listed in Spotify’s app store. Many hackers will attempt to get into your account by installing a rogue app. If you’ve been hacked, you’ll have to remove the rogue app, which will require reinstalling the Spotify application. This is one of the best ways to avoid fraud.
While there are a few ways to lock your Spotify account, the best method is to simply change your password. Spotify’s customer support will be able to give you the correct procedure. You can also visit the company’s website, which offers a list of suggested steps. For starters, you can select the “Account” tab, and then click on the “Remove Access” button. You may be prompted to reinstall the app, which will take as long as an hour.
The most important thing to remember is to be alerted of suspicious activity. For instance, you might receive emails that contain a new login, or you might see a lot of extra data on your account. In either case, the easiest way to solve these problems is to encrypt the data on your phone or desktop. If you’re not sure how to do this, you might have a better chance if you log out of all your other accounts and reset your password.
The biggest question is, what’s the best way to protect your data from unauthorized access? There are a variety of security measures you can take, such as enabling two-factor authentication on your social media and email accounts, as well as downloading a free app like ad-blockers. Another method is to create a complex password. This will make it easier for you to keep track of your usernames and passwords, as well as prevent you from accidentally entering your information in a shady site.
The Spotify app has many tools to help you safeguard your account, and the company has a few of the most impressive tricks up its sleeve. If you’re not happy with the company’s efforts, however, you might consider a chargeback. You can use the payment method of your choice, including credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and gift cards. You should also be wary of fake emails from companies that claim to be able to help you with your account.