Big data breaches found at major email services: specialist

Frankfurt

HUNDREDS of millions of hacked usernames and passwords for email accounts and other websites are being traded in Russia's criminal underworld, a security specialist told Reuters.

The discovery of 272.3 million stolen accounts included a majority of users of Mail.ru, Russia's most popular email service, and smaller fractions of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft email users, said Alex Holden, founder and chief information security officer of Hold Security.

It is one of the biggest stashes of stolen credentials to be uncovered since cyber attacks hit major US banks and retailers two years ago.

Mr Holden was previously instrumental in uncovering some of the world's biggest known data breaches, affecting tens of…