GRUNGECAKE

Tag: Google

  • More than 183 million Gmail-linked passwords exposed

    [media-credit name=”The Sun” link=”https://www.the-sun.com/tech/15402094/183million-gmail-passwords-stolen-in-massive-data-breach” width=2048 align=”center”][/media-credit]

    Security researchers have warned that approximately 183 million email login credentials, including a significant number tied to Gmail accounts, were exposed in a massive credential-dump.

    The leak appears to have resulted not from a direct breach of Gmail or Google LLC’s systems, but rather from malware-infected devices. These devices collected usernames and passwords via “infostealer” logs, which in turn ended up in a large dataset now publicly accessible. This dataset is part of a trove reportedly about 3.5 terabytes in size and drawn from multiple sources rather than one single hack.

    For Gmail users (and users of other email providers) the risk is real. Whilst Google says it is not aware of a breach of its own login systems, it emphasises that passwords appearing in external dumps still pose a threat because of reused passwords, credential-stuffing attacks and phishing schemes.

    What you can do:

  • Use the site Have ‘I Been Pwned’ to check whether your email address or password shows up in known leaks.
  • Change your password to a strong, unique one (for example, not used for other sites) if there’s any suspicion of exposure.
  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) or passkeys where available.
  • Review account access logs for unfamiliar devices or apps.

    • The incident underscores a broader shift in cyber-risk: The point of compromise is increasingly the user’s device or environment rather than a central corporate database. And so the protection partly depends on users staying proactive. While there’s no indication this leak was caused by a Gmail-specific vulnerability, Gmail users should still treat their account credentials—and the recovery methods tied to them—as potential targets.

  • Trump order: Google to change map names for Gulf of Mexico and Denali

    In a move reflecting recent federal directives, Google has announced plans to update its mapping services to align with President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness”. This order mandates the renaming of several prominent United States geographical features, including reverting Denali to Mount McKinley and renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Google’s decision follows the Department of the Interior’s announcement that these name changes are effective immediately for federal use. The company stated that it will implement these updates on Google Maps once the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) reflects the changes in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). For United States users, the Gulf of Mexico will be labeled as the Gulf of America, whilst international users will see both names displayed. Similarly, Denali will be labelled as Mount McKinley across all platforms.

    [media-credit name=”Google” link=”https://design.google/library/evolving-google-identity” width=2162 align=”center”][/media-credit]

    The renaming of Denali has been a subject of contention for decades. Originally named Mount McKinley in 1896 after President William McKinley, the peak was officially renamed Denali in 2015 by the Obama administration, honoring the indigenous Koyukon Athabascan name meaning “The Great One”. President Trump’s recent executive order reverses this decision, reinstating the Mount McKinley designation. The Gulf of Mexico, a vital body of water for the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, has been recognised by its current name for centuries. President Trump’s executive order renames it the Gulf of America within United States federal usage, citing its significance to the nation’s economy and heritage. This change has elicited varied reactions domestically and internationally. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that Mexico will continue to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico.

    Google’s adherence to these federal naming conventions underscores the complex relationship between technology platforms and governmental directives. As these changes are implemented, they highlight the ongoing debates surrounding national identity, historical recognition, and the role of digital platforms in reflecting or challenging official narratives.