How Malware Turned Into the 20-01-2026 Leak of 22,890 Logins

A malware infection dated January 20, 2026 led to a file simply titled 20-01-2026, which surfaced on Telegram February 12, 2026 exposing 22,890 stolen credential records.

Why This Is Dangerous

Files named only by date, like this one, usually come straight from a stealer operation's raw output with no branding or marketing attached. Every one of the 22,890 records still carries an exposed plaintext password.

What Was Exposed

• Email addresses (22,890 unique accounts)
• Plaintext passwords with no encryption
• URLs tied to each compromised service

Why This Matters

The nearly month-long gap between the infection date and the public release shows how stolen data can circulate privately before anyone outside criminal circles knows about it. By the time a file like this surfaces, the most valuable accounts have often already been tested and exploited.

How Stealer Logs Work

Stealer malware infects a device on a given day, in this case sometime around January 20, 2026, and immediately begins harvesting saved passwords. The operator then holds onto the data, sometimes for weeks, before packaging and releasing it, wich explains the delay between infection and this Telegram upload.

Check If You Are Affected

HEROIC's free scanner checks your email against more than 400 billion (400B+) leaked records, including this January 2026 file. Check now, and don't asume the delay between infection and release means your account is safe, it likely means the opposite.