Before you start
- Your email address
Method 1 Check your email address
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Step 1: Have I Been Pwned
Go to haveibeenpwned.com, enter your email and click Check. It lists breaches containing your address and what was exposed (passwords, phone numbers, addresses).
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Step 2: Mozilla Monitor
monitor.mozilla.org offers free breach alerts using the same data.
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Step 3: Sign up for alerts
Use Notify me on Have I Been Pwned to get emails about future breaches.
Method 2 Check your saved passwords
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Step 1: Google Password Manager
Go to passwords.google.com > Password Checkup (or Chrome Settings > Passwords > Checkup). It flags compromised, reused and weak passwords.
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Step 2: iPhone and Mac
Open Passwords (or Settings > Passwords) > Security Recommendations.
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Step 3: Other managers
Bitwarden, 1Password and others have built-in breach reports.
Method 3 What to do if you were breached
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Step 1: Change affected passwords
Change the password for the breached service and anywhere you reused it. Use unique passwords from now on.
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Step 2: Turn on two-step verification
Especially for email, banking and social media.
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Step 3: Watch for phishing
Leaked emails attract targeted scams referencing the breached service.
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Step 4: Protect financial info
If card or ID details leaked, monitor statements and consider a credit freeze where available.
Troubleshooting
I don’t recognise a breached site
You may have signed up years ago, or a company you used shared data with a partner. Change any reused password.
Frequently asked questions
Is Have I Been Pwned safe to use?
Yes. It’s a long-running, widely trusted service run by security researcher Troy Hunt.
Can I remove my data from a breach?
No. Once leaked, data can’t be recalled; focus on changing passwords and enabling 2FA.
Summary
Check your email at haveibeenpwned.com, run a Password Checkup, change leaked or reused passwords, and turn on two-step verification. Sign up for alerts to hear about future breaches.