How the HQ Hotmail Combo Neo3690 Leak Exposed 1,562 Logins

HEROIC analysts discovered a combolist known as HQ Hotmail Combo Neo3690 shared by a Telegram user in January 2025. The file contained 1,562 records combining email addresses with plaintext passwords and the URLs each login was tied to, primarily affecting Hotmail accounts. Why this is dangerous: because the passwords are stored in plaintext rather than encrypted or hashed, anyone who gets this file can try logging in right away. There is no additional step needed to unlock the credentials, which makes this kind of leak especially easy for low-skill attackers to exploit. What was exposed: email addresses, plaintext passwords, and the associated URLs showing where each credential was used. Why this matters: reused passwords are one of the biggest risks in situations like this. If any of these 1,562 accounts share a password with other services, attackers can use the same credentials to break into email, banking, or social media accounts through credential stuffing, potentially leading to account takeover or identity theft. How combolists like this one work: a combolist is a compiled file pairing usernames or emails with passwords, often assembled from older breaches, malware-infected devices, or manual scraping, then labeled and shared or sold in Telegram channels and dark web marketplaces. Because the credentials are already matched and organized, they let attackers run large batches of automated login attempts with minimal effort. Check if you are affected: if you use a Hotmail account, it's worth checking whether your email appears in this leak. HEROIC's free breach scanner checks against a database of more than 400 billion leaked records so you can quickly find out and take action if needed.