149 Million Login Credentials Exposed in Massive Infostealer Data Leak (Gmail passwords exposed online Along with other major platforms)
A publicly accessible database containing 149 million usernames and passwords was taken offline this week after being discovered by security researcher Jeremiah Fowler. According to Fowler, the data included tens of millions of login details for major platforms such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, TikTok, and Binance, along with banking, government, and academic accounts.
Based on Fowler’s analysis, the credentials were likely collected using infostealing malware, a type of malicious software that silently captures everything users type into infected devices. The database was unsecured and searchable through a web browser, requiring no authentication. While investigating, Fowler noted that the dataset continued to grow for nearly a month, suggesting active and ongoing data collection.
The exposed records included approximately 48 million Gmail accounts, 17 million Facebook logins, 6.5 million Instagram accounts, and millions more tied to streaming services, crypto platforms, and email providers. Fowler also observed login data linked to government systems from multiple countries, raising concerns about broader security risks beyond consumer accounts.
The hosting provider, a Canadian affiliate of a global cloud service, removed the database after being alerted, citing a violation of its terms of service. The owner of the database remains unknown. Security experts warn that such collections are often used for credential stuffing, phishing, and account takeovers, especially since many users reuse passwords across services.
The incident highlights the growing scale of infostealer operations, which analysts say have lowered the barrier for cybercrime by allowing attackers to rent credential harvesting infrastructure for a few hundred dollars per month. While the database is no longer public, experts caution that the stolen credentials are likely already circulating in criminal networks.
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