Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) is a free tool to see if your personal information (email or phone number) has been compromised in a data breach. Here’s how to use it effectively and protect your accounts.

1. Features of Have I Been Pwned

Check for Compromised Data

• Enter your email address or phone number on the site.
• The tool reveals:
• Breaches linked to your details.
• Affected companies, breach dates, and data types (e.g., passwords, emails).
• Breach scale, including the number of impacted accounts.

Sign Up for Notifications

• Receive alerts if your data appears in new breaches.
• Act promptly by changing passwords or enhancing account security.

Opt Out of Public Searches

• Prevent others from searching for your email on HIBP.
• Choose to remove your email completely from the HIBP database.
• Sensitive breaches (e.g., adult sites) are not publicly searchable unless you sign up for notifications.

2. Steps to Protect Your Accounts

Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

• Adds an extra security layer beyond passwords.
• Use apps like Google Authenticator or Authy.

Use a Password Manager

• Generate and save strong, unique passwords for every account.
• Tools like 1Password integrate with HIBP to flag compromised passwords.

Be Selective About Sharing Personal Info

• Limit sharing unnecessary details like birthdates unless strictly required.
• Evaluate if the site genuinely needs your information.

3. Additional Tools Using HIBP Data

• Password Managers:
• 1Password includes the “Watchtower” feature to compare passwords with the HIBP database.
• Browser Extensions:
• Okta PassProtect alerts you if a password has been breached while using Chrome.

4. Why Use 'Have I Been Pwned'?

• Awareness of breaches helps you mitigate risks like fraud or identity theft.
• Learn how much of your data is exposed online.
• Use it as a starting point for improving digital security habits.

Bottom Line: Regularly check your information on HIBP, use strong passwords, and minimize sharing sensitive data to stay secure in today’s digital world.

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