The KATANA_CLOUD FREE Leak: 15,280 Plaintext Passwords Exposed

KATANA_CLOUD FREE Stealer Log Surfaces on Telegram

HEROIC analysts identified a stealer log file labeled "KATANA_CLOUD FREE" that a Telegram user uploaded on December 30, 2024. The file contained 15,280 records, including email addresses, plaintext passwords, and the URLs tied to each login. Unlike a typical database leak, this dataset appears to have come directly from malware running on infected devices, capturing credentials as they were typed or stored in the browser.

Why This Is Dangerous

Because the passwords in this leak were stored and shared in plaintext, anyone who downloads the file can use them immediately. There is no encryption to break and no hash to crack. Combined with the matching email address and the URL of the site each credential belongs to, an attacker has everything needed to log into an account right away, no guesswork required.

What Was Exposed

• Email addresses
• Plaintext passwords
• URLs of the associated login pages

Why This Matters

Even a dataset of 15,280 records can cause outsized damage. Attackers use lists like this for credential stuffing, automatically trying each email and password pair across banking, email, and shopping sites to find accounts where the password was reused. Any match can lead to account takeover, identity theft, or direct financial fraud, especially since the URLs make it easy to target the exact services tied to each credential.

How Stealer Logs Work

A stealer log is the output of infostealer malware that infects a device, usually through a malicious download, cracked software, or a phishing link. Once installed, the malware quietly harvests saved passwords, autofill data, and browser session information, then packages it into a file. These files are frequently sold or shared for free on Telegram channels, exactly as happened here, making them accessible to a wide range of criminal actors within hours of being uploaded.

Check If You Are Affected

If you think an account of yours may be part of this or a similar stealer log, HEROIC's free breach scanner checks your email address against a database of more than 400 billion exposed records. Run a free scan to see if your information has surfaced in this leak or any other, and change any reused or plaintext-exposed passwords right away.