Is your forgotten login a hacker's backdoor? Check now
Old, unused accounts on apps like Pandora and Dropbox are quietly becoming hackers' favorite targets
That Pandora account you haven't opened since 2015 is still sitting there, still holding your password, and still fully accessible to anyone who finds their way in. Security researchers call these "zombie" accounts: old profiles nobody uses anymore but that remain active and exploitable.
A study from Secure Data Recovery found that 94% of respondents had at least one account they hadn't touched in over a year. Pandora topped the list of most commonly abandoned services, followed by Groupon and Shutterfly, with photo and file-sharing platforms like Dropbox, Tumblr, and Flickr, along with Duolingo and Vimeo, rounding out the broader list.
In another study conducted by Security.org, it was discovered that 29% of people have had their accounts hacked into before, with social media accounts making up 53% of all hacked accounts. The costs are very high too – people reported losing an average of $180 due to these hacks, while 40% suffered from identity theft.
After gaining access, hackers can harvest any information left behind, assume the identity of the rightful account owner, or use recovered passwords to hack other accounts as well.
These zombie accounts operate under old security settings, using old passwords and email addresses which These zombie accounts operate under outdated security settings, utilising old passwords and email addresses that no one currently monitors. by anyone now. Because of this, hacking them is much easier than a monitored account.
How to stay safe from hackers?
Start by identifying old accounts that have been inactive for at least a year and then either get rid of them or change their passwords if there is a chance you may use them again.
Make sure not to reuse passwords since a single breach may affect multiple sites; you may want to think about using a password manager to manage your passwords for over a dozen websites.
You can also secure your accounts further by using two-factor authentication as well as configuring privacy settings on those accounts you choose to keep. Consumer Reports keeps a list of password managers recommended by experts.
