Massive Data Breach: 16 Billion Passwords Leaked from Major Tech Giants

16 billion passwords have been leaked from Apple, Facebook, and Google, according to Forbes. The publication describes it as "the largest data leak" ever.

Experts at the magazine Cybernews have been investigating the suspected leak since early 2025.

Now, they have reached a conclusion—a frightening one.

Cybernews reports that a total of 16 billion passwords have leaked from over 30 different data centers.

The passwords primarily pertain to Google, Facebook, Apple, and Telegram—but also include passwords for various government sites.

"This is not just a leak—it's a plan to exploit many people," says Vilius Petkauskas, a security analyst at Cybernews, to Forbes.

Already Used for Cybercrime

The data is fresh, structured for easy mass exploitation, and is now being used in extensive cybercrimes, according to Petkauskas.

"This is not just old breaches being reused; this is fresh, actionable intelligence on a large scale," he says.

Usernames and passwords have been collected via so-called infostealers—malicious programs that steal information directly from infected computers.

The information often comes directly from browsers where logins are saved, making it easy for attackers to take over accounts, writes Cybernews.