6 Signs You Have a Compromised Password and How to Fix It

• A compromised password is still a possibility despite being careful with your online logins.
• You can check Have I Been Pwned to see if you’ve been compromised or use a password checker built into Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, or Chrome.
• Here’s how to tell if any of your passwords have been compromised across a wide range of devices and browsers.

For years, technology experts have talked about replacing passwords with better technology, but for now, we’re still ruled by passwords—often hundreds of them for every device, app, service, and website we routinely visit. And despite our best efforts to create strong and secure passwords, sometimes they get compromised. Do you have compromised passwords on your phone or computer? Here are some ways to find out.

Signs your password has been compromised

Unfortunately, the ramifications of a compromised password are dire, and most of the obvious warning signs are evidence that you’ve already been hacked, which is hardly ideal. For this reason, you should occasionally proactively check for compromised passwords and not wait for disaster to strike. Here are the top signs that you might have a compromised password.

• A website notifies you that someone has changed your password. Hackers may try to change a website or service’s password after gaining access with a cracked password. This allows them to take control away from you, the rightful owner. Luckily, after changing your password, many websites send a confirmation email or ask for verification with two-factor authentication. If you are notified of a password change, your password has likely been compromised and you should act quickly to protect your account.
• You see changes to a site or account that you didn’t make. If a hacker successfully logs into one of your accounts, you might see changes that you didn’t make yourself. If this is the case, take immediate action to change the password before the hacker does, which could potentially result in you losing control of your account entirely.
• You can find your password at HIBP. Troy Hunt, a Microsoft executive, runs a helpful website called HIBP (Have I Been Pwned). You can enter your credentials here to see if you have compromised accounts. It’s a quick, easy, and secure way to check your overall security.
• You will see your password listed in a leaked password checker. You should regularly check your passwords using a tool built into your Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android. You must carry out this check yourself, as it is not carried out automatically.
• Your information will be displayed in a password dump. Reports of major hacks containing massive collections of leaked passwords are depressingly regular. When such messages become known, websites or tools are often provided to enable you to verify that your own credentials have not been collected.
• Someone tells you you’ve been hacked. If a friend, colleague, or family member tells you that they’ve received something unusual from one of your accounts, or noticed strange behavior from you online, consider yourself hacked and take immediate action to see if you’re accessing the account and change the password.

How to find compromised passwords on Mac

If you have macOS Monterey, you can use the built-in password checker to see if any of your passwords might be compromised.

1. press the Apple icon on the top left of the desktop and then click system settings.

2. click passwords. You may need to enter your password to continue.

3. On the passwords page you can browse your potentially compromised passwords. Click any entry to see more details and click Change password on the site to update it.

Dave Johnson/Insider

How to find compromised passwords in Windows

Unfortunately, there is no universal password checker in Windows, but Microsoft includes one in its Edge browser. If you use Edge, you can use this tool. However, if you mainly use Chrome, you should use the dedicated password checker in that browser instead.

1. Launch the Edge browser.

2. In the address bar at the top of the screen, type the following: edge://settings/passwords/PasswordMonitor and press Enter.

3. In which Leaked Passwords section, click scan now.

Dave Johnson/Insider

How to find compromised passwords in Chrome

You can use Chrome’s built-in password checker to find compromised passwords.

1. In the Chrome browser, click the Three point menu at the top of the screen and select from the drop-down menu settings.

2. On the Settings page, click privacy and security.

3. In which security check section, click Check now.

4. When the security check is complete, click review right of password manager.

5. On the Check Passwords page, you can search the list of potentially compromised passwords. click Check password for each entry to let Chrome help you update the password.

Dave Johnson/Insider

How to find compromised passwords on an iPhone

Apple includes a password manager for Safari on your iPhone, and you can use it to get security recommendations that show if there are any known compromised passwords.

1. start this settings App on your iPhone.

2. Beat passwords.

3. On the Passwords page, tap Security Recommendations.

4. The Security Recommendations page allows you to browse the passwords that pose security risks. For more details, tap the entry or tap Change password on the site to go to the page and reset a password.

Dave Johnson/Insider

How to find compromised passwords on an Android

Similar to the desktop browser version of Chrome, Chrome on Android has a built-in password check.

1. start this chrome App on your Android device.

2. Tap the Three point menu at the top of the screen.

3. Beat settingsthen tap passwords.

4. On the Passwords page, tap Check passwords.

5. After a moment you will see a list of all saved passwords that could pose a security threat. Beat Change Password for Chrome to assist you in changing the password.

Dave Johnson/Insider

DavidJohnson

Freelance Writer