MEGACLOUD’s Hotmail Hits Dump Leaked 706 Email and Password Pairs

HEROIC analysts found a combolist titled HOTMAIL HITS BY MEGACLOUD 18.11 shared on Telegram, dated 18 November 2024. The file contains 706 records, each combining a Hotmail email address with a plaintext password and a related URL. Why This Is Dangerous: Every credential in this file is stored as plain, readable text. That means an attacker does not need to crack a hash or run any software, they can simply copy an email and password pair and attempt to log straight into the associated Hotmail account or any other service where the same password was reused. What Was Exposed: - Hotmail email addresses - Plaintext passwords - URLs tied to each login Why This Matters: A Hotmail inbox is often the recovery address for banking, shopping, and social media accounts. If an attacker gets into someone's Hotmail using a reused password, they can reset the passwords on those other accounts too, turning one leaked credential into a much wider account takeover. How a Combolist Like This Works: Files like this one are usually built by combining credentials pulled from older breaches or malware logs into a single list, then labeled and sold or shared by whoever compiled it, in this case under the name MEGACLOUD. The 706 pairs inside require no special skill to use, which is exactly why lists like this spread quickly through Telegram groups. Check If You Are Affected: Search your email address against HEROIC's database of more than 400 billion breached records with HEROIC's free breach scanner to see if your Hotmail account is exposed.