In 2012, LinkedIn experienced a data breach that was initially reported as 6.5 million exposed passwords. Four years later, in 2016, a database containing 164 million email and password combinations from the same incident appeared for sale online. The passwords had been protected only with an unsalted SHA-1 hash — a method that security researchers cracked within days of the data surfacing.
Quick answer — was LinkedIn breached?
Yes. LinkedIn was breached in May 2012, exposing 164,611,595 records including email addresses, passwords. This breach has been independently verified. If your email was involved, your data may still be at risk today. Check if you were affected.
In 2012, LinkedIn experienced a data breach that was initially reported as 6.5 million exposed passwords. Four years later, in 2016, a database containing 164 million email and password combinations from the same incident appeared for sale online. The passwords had been protected only with an unsalted SHA-1 hash — a method that security researchers cracked within days of the data surfacing.
LinkedIn users frequently share professional contact details across multiple services, making the exposed email addresses a reliable starting point for targeted business-focused phishing campaigns. The cracked password hashes gave attackers direct account access, and credential stuffing attacks using these combinations continued for years after the initial disclosure.
The LinkedIn breach is widely cited as a textbook example of why password hashing must include a random salt — without one, identical passwords produce identical hashes, letting attackers crack thousands of accounts at once by recognising repeated patterns. Learn more about what a data breach means for you.
LinkedIn users frequently share professional contact details across multiple services, making the exposed email addresses a reliable starting point for targeted business-focused phishing campaigns. The cracked password hashes gave attackers direct account access, and credential stuffing attacks using these combinations continued for years after the initial disclosure.
Don't wait to find out — check if your email was exposed in this breach.
Email addresses — used for phishing attacks and credential stuffing against your other accounts
Passwords — can be used to access your accounts directly or cracked to reveal your actual password
June 6, 2012
LinkedIn publicly acknowledges a breach; initially reports approximately 6.5 million hashed passwords posted to a Russian security forum
June 2012
Security researchers confirm passwords were hashed with SHA-1 without a salt; the majority are cracked within days using freely available tools
May 2016
A database containing 164 million email addresses and password hashes from the 2012 breach appears for sale on a dark web marketplace
May 2016
LinkedIn confirms the full scope and forces immediate password resets for all accounts with credentials not updated since 2012
Yes. Stolen data from the LinkedIn breach remains dangerous years after the incident. Attackers routinely compile data from multiple breaches to build complete profiles, and credentials from 2012 are still actively used in automated attacks today.
Personal information like email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth does not expire. Even if you changed your LinkedIn password, the other exposed data can be combined with information from other breaches to target you. Learn how long stolen data stays dangerous.
Change your LinkedIn password immediately
Log into LinkedIn and change your password to something strong and unique — one you have never used anywhere else.
Change any account sharing that password
If you reused this password elsewhere, change it on every affected account. Attackers test stolen credentials against hundreds of popular sites within hours.
Enable two-factor authentication
Turn on 2FA on LinkedIn and every important account. Even if your password is known, attackers cannot access the account without the second factor.
Check your other accounts for this breach
Run a full email scan to see every breach your address appears in — not just this one.
Check all my breaches — freeBreach pages are built from structured breach records and reviewed for practical risk guidance by EmailLeaked. Risk labels reflect exposed data types and are intended to help readers prioritise action.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-01
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