Key things you should know if you are a Ledger user!
As you may already know, Ledger, the hardware wallet provider was hacked around the Summer of last year.
While users' funds remained secure, the Firm's entire database of customers was accessed by the hackers, due to a website
vulnerability.
The true extent and scale of the hack have only in recent months come to light.
The names, mailing addresses, emails and telephone numbers of users who have bought Ledger devices from the Firm, is said to be in excess of 272,000.
It is further reported that the database of all these wallet holders have ended up on the Dark Web, where it is allegedly being offered for sale.
Unsurprisingly, most Ledger hardware wallet users' are extremely unhappy to say the least about this massive security breach, which many believe will leave them at the mercy of excessive scams. This is especially concerning when you consider the sheer volume and extent of confidential information now being passed around the Dark web.
Some Ledger wallet users point to the risk posed to them and are fearful of the repercussions, such as even being on the receiving end of threats. In a further worrisome twist, Ledger hardware wallet users were unaware of this massive security breach and some had even started receiving scam emails.
To our knowledge, one wallet user started receiving emails claiming to be from Ledger, requesting the individual to click on a link in the email to complete KYC
(know your customer).
Thankfully she did not as that would have been the scammer's way of harvesting her log-in details and emptying her wallet. It was not until a cybersecurity intelligence firm shared the leaked file publicly, that Ledger confirmed the data was of its user database.
To check whether your personal information has in any way been compromised, visit the following website - (have I been pwned) and simply enter your email address. It will then tell you whether your email and personal data has been exposed and even the event that led to that exposure.
https://haveibeenpwned.com
If you are a Ledger hardware wallet user, here are some basic steps you can take now to up your security, protect your personal information and limit the risks of suffering further scams resulting from your compromised data.
The first thing you will need to do is to change your email password with an extremely strong one.
Activate 2FA for email login
It is also a good idea to change the email address you use to access extremely sensitive data such as a crypto exchange at which you are registered with that email. It is inconvenient but it is worth it
Also, change the login password used to access your exchange account
Hardware wallets are among the safest ways for investors to store their cryptos. It is unfortunate that such a severe security breach compromised Ledger hardware wallet users. Although the wallet users' funds remained secure, which is some comfort, it just goes to show that safety and security in crypto are as good as the individual or entity that is setting it up!
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