Hacker Posts 6.5M LinkedIn Passwords

Experts: Change yours now
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 6, 2012 10:22 AM CDT
Hacker Posts 6.5M LinkedIn Passwords
FILE - In this May 19, 2011, file photo, the LinkedIn logo is displayed in the foyer at headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. LinkedIn is expected to report its quarterly earnings after the market closes on Thursday, May 3, 2012.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

A hacker claims to have stolen 6.46 million LinkedIn passwords, and the list is posted online. The list—announced on a Russian forum—appears to be real, an expert says; users tell ZDNet that they have indeed found their passwords on the list. LinkedIn's encryption system is "secure," so it may take a while to decode the information, but it's not "foolproof," the Verge notes. Hackers may also have gotten their hands on email addresses, a Finnish security firm says. Experts recommend users change their passwords now. LinkedIn says it's "looking into" the reports. (More LinkedIn stories.)

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