How to check if your email has been in a data breach

Introduction

Data breaches happen more often than most people realise. When a company's database is hacked, millions of email addresses and passwords can be exposed and sold on the dark web. If your email address has been caught up in a breach, your accounts could be at risk. Here's how to check and what to do about it.

How to Check if Your Email Has Been Breached

Method 1: Have I Been Pwned (Recommended)

HaveIBeenPwned.com is a free, trusted service created by security researcher Troy Hunt. It checks your email address against a database of billions of leaked credentials.

1. Go to haveibeenpwned.com
2. Enter your email address in the search box
3. Click pwned?
4. The site will tell you if your email has appeared in any known data breaches, and which ones

You can also sign up for free alerts so you're notified if your email appears in future breaches.

Method 2: Google Password Check-up

If you use Google Chrome or a Google account:

1. Go to passwords.google.com
2. Click Go to Password Check-up
3. Google will scan your saved passwords and alert you to any that have been compromised in known breaches

Method 3: Apple Passwords App (iPhone/Mac)

If you use iCloud Keychain or the Passwords app on iOS 18 / macOS:

1. Open the Passwords app
2. Tap the Security section
3. Apple will flag any passwords that have appeared in known data leaks

What to Do if Your Email Has Been Breached

1. Change your password immediately for the affected account — use a strong, unique password
2. Change the same password on any other accounts where you've reused it — password reuse is one of the biggest security risks
3. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on the affected account and any other important accounts
4. Check for suspicious activity — look for unrecognised logins, sent emails, or account changes
5. Use a password manager to generate and store unique passwords for every account

Tips to Stay Safe Going Forward

• Never reuse passwords across multiple accounts
• Use a password manager such as RoboForm > You can get a special discount here
• Enable 2FA wherever possible — especially for email, banking, and social media
• Be cautious of phishing emails that may follow a breach, pretending to be from the breached company

Need Help Securing Your Device?

If you're concerned about your device's security or need help setting up 2FA and a password manager, our team at RepairMedia can help. Contact us or visit our Huddersfield repair centre.