After a large-scale global data leak exposed 184 million account credentials, the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has urged citizens to change their social media passwords.

In an advisory issued on Monday, the body said that the breach exposed usernames, passwords, emails, and associated URLs tied to services from Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, as well as government portals, banking institutions, and healthcare platforms worldwide.

The leaked database is believed to have been compiled using infostealer malware — malicious software that extracts sensitive information from compromised systems.

This data, the advisory mentioned, was stored in plain text and left completely unprotected, with no encryption or password safeguarding.

The body said that immediate action is recommended to mitigate associated risks and to secure systems potentially impacted by this breach.

Impact of data breach

Successful exploitation of the leaked credentials may result in:

1. Credential stuffing attacks — automated login attempts across services using reused credentials

2. Account takeovers — unauthorised access to user accounts and personal services.

3. Identity theft and fraud — theft of digital identity for committing scams or impersonation.

4. Ransomware deployment and espionage — targeted attacks on individuals and enterprises.

5. Government and critical sector compromise — unauthorised access to sensitive government systems.

6. Targeted phishing and social engineering — tailored scams using personal communication history.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details