this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2024
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381
Tech Company Leaks 2FA Codes/Password Reset Links for Major Platforms (techcrunch.com)
submitted 8 months ago by Squire1039@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world
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A security breach exposed two-factor authentication (2FA) codes/password reset links for millions of users on platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok.

Key Points:

  • YX International, an SMS routing company, left an internal database exposed online without a password.
  • The database contained one-time 2FA codes and password reset links for various tech giants.
  • YX International secured the database and claims to have "sealed the vulnerability."
  • The company wouldn't confirm how long the database was exposed or if anyone else accessed it.
  • Representatives from Meta, Google, and TikTok haven't commented yet.

Concerns:

  • This leak highlights the vulnerabilities of SMS-based 2FA compared to app-based methods.
  • The lack of information regarding the leak's duration and potential access by others raises concerns.

Gemini Recommendations:

  • Consider switching to app-based 2FA for increased security.
  • Be cautious of suspicious communications and avoid clicking unknown links.
  • Stay informed about potential security breaches affecting your online accounts.
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[–] wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 111 points 8 months ago (29 children)

It's a great recommendation to use app-based 2FA, except that lots of services seem to insist on and only offer SMS OTP.

For instance out of all the financial establishments I do business with, only one offers the option. The big name players don't, it's only some tiny little mom & pop CU that does.

It's very much a business adoption issue.

[–] Poggervania@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Not sure if you do business with them, but Charles Schwab does have a app-based MFA option - although that’s limited to Symantec’s own TOTP MFA.

[–] wrekone@lemmyf.uk 3 points 8 months ago

A lot of sites say they only support one specific MFA app. But in my experience, any MFA app that can read the QR code will work.

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