Email Account Takeover Risk: hits_imap Leak Exposed 3,497 Logins

HEROIC analysts found this file on Telegram on July 27, 2026. A Telegram user uploaded a combolist named hits_imap containing 3,497 records of email addresses and plaintext passwords, specifically tied to IMAP email login access. Why This Is Dangerous: IMAP is the protocol many email clients use to read and send messages. A working IMAP login gives an attacker direct access to read, search, and download someone's entire email inbox, often without triggering the same security alerts as a normal web login. What Was Exposed: - Email addresses - Plaintext passwords - IMAP login access details Why This Matters: Email accounts are the key to almost everything else online. With IMAP access, an attacker can search your inbox for banking statements, password reset links, and personal information, then use that to take over other accounts, commit identity theft, or attempt financial fraud. How an IMAP Combolist Like This Works: Lists like hits_imap are built by testing stolen email and password combinations directly against mail servers using the IMAP protocol. Any pair that successfully logs in gets kept as a hit, meaning the attacker has verified, working access to that inbox before ever sharing or selling the list. Check If You Are Affected: HEROIC's free breach scanner checks your email against more than 400 billion breached and leaked records. Run a free scan to see if your email login has been exposed and take steps to secure your inbox.