128,017 Passwords Leaked: South Korea Uploaded by a Telegram User

HEROIC analysts identified a combolist file circulated on Telegram in August 2026 containing 128,017 records tied to an entry labeled "South Korea uploaded by a Telegram User." Each record pairs an email address with a plaintext password, and many entries also include the URL of the site the credentials were originally used on, giving anyone who downloads the file a ready-made list of working logins.

Why This Is Dangerous

Because the passwords in this file are stored in plaintext rather than hashed or encrypted, there is no barrier between an attacker opening the file and trying the credentials themselves. Combined with the URLs included in the leak, a criminal does not have to guess which service a login belongs to. They can go straight to the site named in the record and attempt to sign in, skipping the trial and error that normally slows an attack down.

What Was Exposed

• Email addresses
• Plaintext passwords
• URLs linked to the original accounts

Why This Matters

Most people reuse the same password, or a close variation of it, across several accounts. Once a working email and password pair is confirmed on one site, attackers routinely test that same pair against banking portals, email providers, and shopping accounts in a technique known as credential stuffing. A single reused password can lead to a full account takeover, and from there to identity theft or direct financial fraud if payment details are stored on any of the affected accounts.

How a Combolist Leak Works

A combolist is a plain text file that combines login credentials, usually formatted as email:password or username:password on each line, often stitched together from multiple smaller breaches and leaks. Unlike a raw database dump, a combolist requires little technical skill to use. It can be loaded directly into automated tools that attempt logins across hundreds of websites at once, which is why files like this one spread quickly through underground channels once they are uploaded.

Check If You Are Affected

If you think your email or a password you have used in the past might appear in this leak, you do not have to guess. HEROIC's free breach scanner checks your information against a database of more than 400 billion leaked records, including combolists like this one, so you can find out quickly and take action, such as changing reused passwords, before anyone else does.