The hits_imap Leak Surfaced Days Ago With 207 Verified Logins

HEROIC analysts identified a combolist file named hits_imap uploaded to a Telegram channel on July 28, 2026, just days before this report. IMAP is the protocol email apps use to check an inbox, and the hits label means every login in the file has already been tested and confirmed to work. The file contains 207 records pairing email addresses with plaintext passwords and the URLs those mail accounts connect to. Why This Is Dangerous: Because each of these logins has already been verified, an attacker does not need to guess or test anything before using them. They can log directly into a real inbox, and because email accounts are the recovery point for so many other services, that access rarely stops at just reading messages. What Was Exposed: - Email addresses - Plaintext passwords - URLs tied to the mail accounts Why This Matters: A verified list of working email logins is immediately usable for account takeover, since an attacker can log in through IMAP quietly in the background, read incoming messages, and intercept password reset links for banking, shopping, or social media accounts tied to that inbox. Because this list surfaced only days ago, any of these 207 accounts that are still active are at risk right now, not at some point in the future. How a Hits List Like This Works: Attackers build hits lists by connecting to mail servers over IMAP and testing large batches of leaked or guessed email and password combinations, keeping only the ones that log in successfully. That verification step is what turns an ordinary combolist into a hits list, and it is why these files are traded and sold quickly on Telegram before account owners have a chance to change their passwords. Check If You Are Affected: Run a free scan against HEROIC's database of more than 400 billion breached records to see if your email address appears in this leak or any other. If it does, change that password immediately, enable two-factor authentication on your email account, and check your account's recent login activity for anything unfamiliar.