Password saver LastPass compromised

An online password manager revealed that its network uncovered suspicious activity.

Users of LastPass had their authentication hashes, password reminders and email addresses  compromised.

LastPass CEO and cofounder, Joe Siegrist, explained:

“We are confident that our encryption measures are sufficient to protect the vast majority of users. LastPass strengthens the authentication hash with a random salt and 100,000 rounds of server-side PBKDF2-SHA256, in addition to the rounds performed client-side.”

LastPass has now blocked any activity deemed suspicious and is notifying all users. No evidence was found of any accounts being accessed, wrote Siegrist.

To maintain the security of data, LastPass is asking all users to reset master passwords. Further, any user logging in from new devices or a new IP address will be forced to verify by email that they own the account

Lastpass, which experienced a similar issue several years ago, has received praise via social media due to it reacting so quickly, as well as for being transparent regarding the incident.

Chris Boyd, an intelligence analyst from anti-malware company Malwarebytes, told the press that questions posed to users who reset passwords may not be difficult to guess. He also expressed concern over the same password being used for multiple websites, and urged anyone who has used their master password for LastPass on other sites to reset it immediately.

Those who are holding down cyber security jobs at UK SMEs will ensure that their company maintains secure passwords. For companies that aren’t cyber savvy, such breaches can leave them vulnerable; they may end up regretting not hiring security professionals earlier.