4,950 Passwords From the XIII_LOGS Dump Just Surfaced on the Dark Web

In May 2023, a stealer log uploaded to Telegram under the name XIII_LOGS put 4,950 people at risk. The file contained email addresses, plaintext passwords, and the URLs of every site where those credentails were saved on infected devices. Stealer log data does not expire. Even though this breach occured in 2023, the credentials in this file may still be active and in active use by threat actors today. HEROIC analysts confirmed the log remains indexed in underground markets, where it has been available to any buyer or downloader for over three years.

Why This Is Dangerous

Stealer logs are more dangerous than most breach types because they combine three pieces of information that are rarely exposed together: the email address, the exact password, and the precise URL where it works. Attackers do not need to run cracking tools or guess anything. They can immediately attempt to log in to the services listed in the file. If those login attempts succeed, victims can lose access to their accounts within minutes of the log being obtained by a bad actor. The 4,950 records in this file represent people who had no idea their devises were infected at the time.

What Was Exposed

• Email Addresses -- the primary login identifier for most online accounts
• Plaintext Passwords -- unencrypted and immediately usable without any additional steps
• URLs -- the specific websites and services where credentials were harvested from infected devices

Why This Matters

Most people use the same password, or small variations of it, across multiple services. A single credential pair from this file could give attackers access to an email account. From there, they can reset passwords on banking portals, social media profiles, and any other service linked to that email. This chained attack pattern means a breach that starts with one stolen password can escalate into full identity takeover. Financial fraud, unauthorized purchases, and account lockouts are all common outcomes. Victims often don't realize what has happened until they try to log in and find their password no longer works.

How Stealer Log Malware Works

An infostealer is a malicious program installed on a victim's device without their knowledge, usually through phishing emails, fake downloads, or compromised websites. Once active, it silently scans the browser for saved passwords, cookies, and autofill entries, recording the URL that goes with each one. The collected data is packaged into a log file and either sent directly to the attacker or uploaded to Telegram for free distribution. XIII_LOGS was shared through Telegram, meaning it was available to any number of threat actors who knew where to look. The scale of potential misuse from even a few thousand records is significant when credentials open doors to financial and personal accounts.

Check If You Are Affected

HEROIC offers a free dark web scanner that searches more than 400 billion compromised records, including stealer logs like XIII_LOGS, to check whether your email address has appeared in known breach data. If you have accounts at any online services that were active on a compromised device in 2023, your credentials may be in this file. A scan takes only seconds. Enter your email at HEROIC.com and find out if your passwords from this breach are still exposed online.