It is a bit disappointing that despite the advancements we’ve made to technology that security is still lacking where we’re hearing about hacks and data breaches more times than we should. Given how entrenched our lives are with various online services, this something we should all strive to be aware about.
So much so that Mozilla has decided to launch a new online tool called Firefox Monitor. According to Mozilla’s description of the service, “We’re launching Firefox Monitor, a free service that notifies people when they’ve been part of a data breach. Check out Firefox Monitor to see if you’ve been part of a data breach, and sign up to know if you’ve been affected the next time a data breach happens.”
If this sounds familiar, it is because there is actually a service called “Have I Been Pwned” which essentially does the same thing. In this particular instance, Mozilla actually teamed up with Troy Hunt (who created “Have I Been Pwned”) for it. It will also work in a similar way where users just need to put in their email address and it will then check it against a database of existing data breaches.
For those wondering what the differences are, there really aren’t any. However with Mozilla’s Firefox having a much wider reach, it will help spread awareness and bring to attention instances in which your account’s data might have been breached, which you should then go and change your passwords and update your security information. For those who are interested, you can check out the tool here.
Filed in . Read more about Firefox, Hack, Mozilla, Privacy and Security.