Has Your Email Been Pwned? Here’s Why You Should Check
Has Your Email Been Pwned? Here’s Why You Should Check
- Friday, 29th August, 2025
- 12:39pm
Every day, millions of email addresses and passwords are stolen in data breaches. Big names like LinkedIn, Adobe, Canva, and even government portals have been hit over the years. When that happens, hackers often sell or trade the stolen data on the dark web.
This means your email address could already be out there without you knowing it. If criminals get their hands on your details, they could:
- Send spam or phishing emails from your name
- Try your password on other sites you use
- Attempt identity theft or fraud
How To Check If You’ve Been Pwned
Luckily, there’s a free tool that makes it simple: Have I Been Pwned.
- Visit www.haveibeenpwned.com.
- Enter your email address in the search box.
- Review the results to see if your details have been exposed.
If it comes back clean — great! But don’t get too comfortable; new breaches happen all the time, so it’s worth checking every few months.
If your address has been exposed, don’t panic. Take action.
What To Do If Your Address Shows Up
- Change your password immediately on the affected service.
- If you’ve reused that password anywhere else, change it there too.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible.
- Consider closing accounts you no longer use.
Tips To Keep Your Email Safe
- Use a unique, strong password for every site. A password manager can make this easy.
- Turn on 2FA (those one-time codes via app or text) wherever possible.
- Keep your devices updated with the latest security patches.
- Be careful with phishing emails — don’t click links or open attachments you weren’t expecting.
The Bottom Line
Your email address is the digital key to your online life. If someone breaks in, they can often reset your other account passwords and cause real damage.
Take a few minutes today to visit Have I Been Pwned, check your address, and lock things down if needed. It’s quick, free, and one of the easiest ways to protect yourself online.