To ring in the new year, Snapchat suffered from a fairly large data breach. A file containing 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers was posted for all to view.
When leaks like this occur, it’s natural to wonder if your data is included in the breach. With the original document and site no longer available (the site itself was suspended), you’re not able to grab the leaked file yourself and search for your username or phone number.
But as Mashable reported earlier today, there are a couple of Web sites built specifically to help people identify if their data was leaked.
The first tool, GS Lookup – Snapchat, asks you to enter only your username. If your account info was compromised, you’ll see your phone number (minus the last two digits) on the Web page. If your account wasn’t included in the leak, you’ll see a “You’re Safe” message.
The second tool, Snapcheck.org, allows you to enter either your username or phone number. After submitting the info, you’ll see an alert telling you whether or not your information was included in the leak.
Either tool will help you find out if your phone number (again, save for the last two digits, which were withheld by the group that leaked the information) and username were included in the original document.
So what do you do if your data was included in the leak? There’s not much you can do. Of course it’s a good idea to change your password, and watch for any weird activity on your account. No passwords were included in the leak, but increasing password security is always a good idea.