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Dropbox admits recent security breach led to spam attacks

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 8:31PM EST
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A couple of weeks ago, Dropbox users began to complain about receiving spam in email accounts created exclusively for the service. After investigating the issue, Dropbox confirmed that a small number of accounts were affected by a recent security breach. “Our investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts,” the company wrote on its website. “We’ve contacted these users and have helped them protect their accounts.”

The cloud storage provider believes that a stolen password was used to access an employee Dropbox account that contained a document with users’ email addresses. While Dropbox itself wasn’t hacked, it is puzzling that employees keep unencrypted lists of user emails in their own accounts. The company revealed that it has “put additional controls in place to help make sure [a breach] doesn’t happen again,” and is “taking steps to improve the safety of your Dropbox even if your password is stolen.”

[Via Gizmodo]

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Dan joins the BGR team as the Android Editor, covering all things relating to Google’s premiere operating system. His work has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business and Yahoo News, among other publications. When he isn’t testing the latest devices or apps, he can be found enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City.