4,000 Plaintext Passwords Were Just Dumped on Telegram

In May 2026, HEROIC flagged a stealer log file called 4K HQ Valid Hotmails being freely distributed on Telegram. The file contains 4,000 records—each one a complete set of login credentials including an email address, a plaintext password, and the URL of the targeted service. Every credential in this dump is immediately exploitable.

Plaintext Means Zero Protection

None of the 4,000 passwords in this file are encrypted or hashed. They appear in their original form, exactly as users entered them. This means anyone who downloads the 4K HQ Valid Hotmails file has instant, unrestricted access to try every credential—no specialized software, no decryption keys, no waiting. The barrier to exploitation is nonexistent.

What Was Exposed

• Email Addresses — Hotmail accounts used for personal and professional communication
• Plaintext Passwords — 4,000 unencrypted passwords ready for immediate abuse
• URLs — the websites and login portals associated with each credential pair

Why 4,000 Credentials Are More Dangerous Than You Think

Credential stuffing attacks turn 4,000 stolen logins into potentially tens of thousands of compromised accounts. Attackers use automated bots to test each email-password combination against banking sites, retail platforms, streaming services, and corporate portals. Because password reuse remains widespread, a significant percentage of these 4,000 pairs will unlock accounts far beyond what was originally compromised in this Hotmail-focused dump.

The Infostealer Malware Behind the Dump

These credentials were not obtained through a traditional server breach. Instead, infostealer malware running on individual devices silently harvested saved passwords from web browsers, autofill databases, and credential stores. The malware compiled this stolen data into log files that were then uploaded to Telegram channels, where they become available to any threat actor searching for fresh credentials to exploit.

Check If Your Credentials Were Exposed

With 4,000 accounts compromised, there is a real chance your credentials are in this file. HEROIC's breach scanner draws from a database of over 400 billion compromised records. Enter your email address or domain to instantly check whether your information was included in the 4K HQ Valid Hotmails dump or any of thousands of other known breaches. If found, reset your passwords and enable multi-factor authentication without delay.