Opera Server has been Hacked, Users of Opera Sync advised to change Passwords ASAP

Opera Server has been Hacked, Users of Opera Sync advised to change Passwords ASAP

Are you an Opera browser user, who uses the Opera Sync feature? If yes, you need to change your password ASAP

Opera has reported that they detected unauthorized access to their Opera Sync system. They fear they were attacked, though they were able to gain control and block off the hackers from their system quickly. As they are continuing their investigation into the incident, they are warning users and asking them to change their Opera Sync passwords as well as 3rd party site you may have synchronized on their system.

How bad is the damage?

Opera says they store user passwords (for synchronized passwords) as encrypted or hashed and salted (for authentication) passwords in their system. Since detecting the unauthorized access, Opera has taken the initiative to reset all passwords for users’ Opera Sync accounts.

They have also sent emails to the users letting them know about the hack and asking them to change their passwords. The change of passwords is not just for your Opera Sync account, but also for any and all third party sites whose passwords you had synchronized on their service. To get your new Opera Sync passwords, click here to go to Opera’s page for password reset.

The hackers could have possibly gained access to usernames and passwords for about 1.7 million users by hacking the Opera Sync system. However, as bad as things are, they could have been worse off. Considering Opera has about a total of 350 million users worldwide. The 1.7 million users who use the Opera synching feature represent just about 0.5% of the total users.

If you are an Opera browser user, but you do not use their sync feature, you have nothing to worry about. Users that do use the Opera Sync – yes even if you used it just once – you need to change your passwords immediately. The company has also made an apology for the incident and assures users they are working to beef up their security.

Personally, I am one of those 1.7 million users that users the Opera Sync feature. As you can see from the screenshot below,  my password no longer works. I have been automatically logged out, and my password changed. I have to reset to get the Opera Sync feature working again. The same goes for Opera mobile browser.

Although I do not use Opera regularly, the few times that I do the Opera Sync feature comes in handy, and I’ve logged into virtually all my online accounts on Opera and also synchronized. It looks like I’ll be changing my passwords, and so should you if you ever use the synchronization feature. Now, just how many accounts had I synced on that damn feature?! It would really help if Opera would tell users exactly how many accounts and exactly which accounts they had synced up. They do not! They just tell you to change your password [SMH!]

Opera made this announcement on their blog page.

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