Zeeroq left 227 million users’ emails and passwords exposed to hackers

Around January 2023, a massive credential dataset known as Zeeroq emerged for sale on the dark web, containing records tied to 227,787,174 users. Zeeroq left an enormous volume of email addresses and plaintext passwords accessable to criminals who purchased or downloaded the collection. The dataset is beleived to be a compilation drawn from multiple prior breaches, systematically organized by email domain to make it easy for attackers to exploit.

Why Exposed Plaintext Passwords Put You at Risk

Plaintext passwords are the most dangerous type of credential to have leaked because they require no cracking or decryption. Anyone who obtains this dataset can immediately attempt to log in to email accounts, banking portals, and other services where victims may have reused the same password. The scale of the Zeeroq collection means millions of people could face account takeover attempts across countless platforms.

What Was Exposed in the Zeeroq Breach

• Email Address
• Plaintext Password

Why the Zeeroq Breach Still Matters Today

Credential lists of this size remain in active circulation on underground forums long after their initial appearance. Criminals use them repeatedly for credential stuffing attacks, testing each email and password pair against popular websites and services. If you have not changed the passwords associated with your email addresses since 2023, your accounts may still be at risk from this exposure.

How Database Breaches Work

A database breach occurs when unauthorized parties gain access to stored collections of user records, often through exploited vulnerabilities, stolen credentials, or insecure configurations. In the case of aggregated datasets like Zeeroq, data from numerous separate breaches is compiled into a single collection and sold as a commodity. These consolidated lists amplify the damage of individual incidents by making it easier for criminals to target users at scale.

Check If Your Data Was Exposed

HEROIC's breach search engine covers more than 400 billion exposed records, including large-scale compilations like Zeeroq. Enter your email address to see whether your credentials appeared in this dataset or in any other known breach, and take immediate action to secure your accounts before attackers get there first.