Time to address the real problem - RMT buyers

[IkaraGreydancer]

I also wonder. How were so many accounts compromised?

[Jojoya]

I also wonder. How were so many accounts compromised?

The usual way - people use the same password and same email address for multiple online accounts. They don't add security through two factor authentication when available. They don't change their passwords.

The original data breach in question didn't happen at SE. It was some other online provider. There have been a lot of breaches publicized in the last year. It could even be from an older breach.

The hackers then start using the email address and passwords from the compromised database to try to get access to other online accounts. Most attempts fail but sometimes they get lucky.

Several weeks ago, I started having one of my email accounts I use for specific types of online transaction (but not my gaming email) locked due to multiple failed password attempts. I had changed the password on that account earlier in the year and both the old and new passwords were unique to that account. The account lock for the failed attempts finally stopped happening about 2 weeks ago but it was a pain in the neck to have to keep resetting the password on that account twice a week while it was happening. It makes me wonder if my email was part of whatever data breach has been causing the problems for SE.

But imagine the trouble I might have had if I used that email address for my Square Enix account along with sharing the same password between the accounts without ever changing it. Easily my account could have been one of the compromised ones.

Don't be complacent, folks. Your personal information is only as secure as the databases of those you do business with. Use multiple email addresses to keep more sensitive accounts separated from more casual accounts and those separated from personal correspondence. Use different passwords for everything. Change your passwords regularly (at least once a year if not twice). If you're going to have a hard time remember all those different passwords, there are password managers to help you (frequently included in internet security software).