On October 6, 2021, Twitch confirmed that their data had been breached in a blog post. According to the post, they said that some of their data were exposed to the internet, and people could easily access them. This was due to an error in their server's configuration change that a malicious hacker accessed.
Twitch further said that they knew the leak's impact was severe, and the investigation was ongoing. This was a huge blow as card details, salary, and many other leaked details.
How Do Data Breaches Happen?
Data breaches happen when a company's server gets infiltrated by a third party source, they extract all the sensitive data source and information. Hackers usually bypass network security and access the computer to steal all the files.
There have been many data breaches throughout history, and many companies have been affected by them, such as Yahoo, Uber, Target, and more. So, Twitch getting hacked is not something new, but it was avoidable.
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What Were The Data Breached From Twitch?
The reports claimed that sensitive information was leaked, such as user's password, source code, payment information, stream keys, and earning reports of thousands of popular streamers.
This leak was posted by an anonymous user on the 4Chan forum. The data was huge; the size of the leak was around 128 GB. The hacker's intention is believed to be that they wanted to highlight the community's toxicity to the world.
These are the following data that had been breached:
- Source coded for mobile, console, and desktop users
- Unreleased steam competitors named Vapor.
- Data of Twitch properties
- Security Tools
- Streamers earning
- All of its source code since the start
It was reported that the user's password and all were not included in the data breach, but we believe that Twitch only tried to hide it to avoid a public outburst.
On Twitter, a discussion was formed around this breach. The most popular topic which was talked about was streamer's earnings.
Reported Streamer's Earning
The hacker had publicized the earnings of the top 100 streamers on the streaming platform. The data showed how much a streamer earned in 2 years, from August 2019 to October 2021. It is also believed that the numbers did not include sponsors, tax deductions, sponsors, and merch, and it was just a figure of what they received from Twitch.
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The streamer CriticalRole was at #1 as he earned $9.6 million, followed by xQc, $8.4, and Summit1g $5.9.
Many streamers clarified the earnings by posting on Twitter that most of the claims were false. One of the streamers who came forward was Asmondgold.
How To Protect Yourself From Data Breaches?
Data breaches can happen at any time. As a company, you need to ensure that you have the necessary cyber security to avoid hackers. When a company's data breach happens, it can lose several users, and if it happens, companies should never let it happen twice.
It is important to protect yourself from these breaches as your sensitive information can be leaked as a user. Here's how you can protect yourself.
Change Your Password
Many websites require you to log in if the site has been breached; the first thing you need to do is change your password. Even if the company claims that the user's data has not been breached, you should still change your password.
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It is important to change your password once every two-three months, which will ensure you good protection.
Double Check Your Statements
You should ensure that there is no unauthorized use of your debit or credit cards. If you see any malicious activity, make sure to report them. It is also advised to cancel the card and report it to your bank account to reverse the charges.
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Credit Monitoring
A credit monitoring service can help you by sending an alert if something happens to your credit, whether a bill was unpaid or identity theft. You will be alerted so you can fix and report the problem if necessary.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Many sites are offering Two-factor authentication these days. So, no one can access your account, and the authentication service provides good security.
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For instance, if you log in to your Twitch account, you will be required to enter a verification code sent to your mobile phone. If a hacker tries to enter your account, they will not be able to do it as they will not be able to enter the verification code.
Wrapping Up
Usually, data breaches can happen to any company. Companies need to be aware and set up data security to protect their user's information.
It is important to protect yourself from these breaches. It is hard to avoid data breaches as an individual, but you can follow the methods mentioned earlier to protect yourself.
