Researchers Flag hotmail 3 Telegram Leak of 492 Passwords

Researchers Flag hotmail 3 Telegram Leak of 492 Passwords

HEROIC analysts identified a combolist, tracked as "hotmail 3 uploaded by a Telegram User," that surfaced on a Telegram channel on December 15, 2024. Investigators found 492 records pairing email addresses with plaintext passwords, along with associated URLs, and the accounts affected appear to be tied primarily to users in the United States.

Why This Is Dangerous

Researchers note that once a file like this is shared on Telegram, it tends to be copied, reposted, and picked up by multiple threat actors rather than staying in one place. Because the 492 passwords in this leak are stored in plaintext, anyone who gets a copy can attempt to log into the affected accounts immediately.

What Was Exposed

• Email addresses
• Plaintext passwords
• Associated account URLs

Why This Matters

Analysts who track these leaks consistently see the same pattern: stolen credentials get funneled into credential stuffing tools that test each email and password pair against banking apps, email providers, and shopping sites. When people reuse passwords across services, a single exposed Hotmail account can quietly become the entry point for account takeover, identity theft, or financial fraud elsewhere.

How Combolist Breaches Like This One Work

A combolist compiles usernames or email addresses with matching passwords, typically gathered from older breaches, malware-infected devices, or manual collection, then repackaged and shared or sold on Telegram channels and dark web forums. Security researchers have observed this same source name appear multiple times with different record counts, suggesting an ongoing effort to package and redistribute stolen Hotmail credentials in batches.

Check If You Are Affected

If you use a Hotmail account, HEROIC's free breach scanner checks your email and password against a database of more than 400 billion leaked records, including this one. Run a free scan now to find out if your credentials were exposed and get clear next steps to secure your accounts.