Amazon Resets Some Users' Passwords After Hackers Leak Credentials

Amazon on Tuesday (Wednesday early morning in some parts of the world) sent out password reset emails to some of its Amazon account holders. The company said it had found "a list of email addresses and passwords posted online." While they were not Amazon-related, since many users reuse the same passwords on multiple websites, the company has sent out emails to those users whose addresses and passwords were on the list "out of an abundance of caution". The company also assigned these users a temporary password ahead of a complete password reset.

(Also see: Amazon Forces Some Customers to Reset Passwords)

Users would need to reset the temporary password assigned by Amazon by going in to Your Account option on the website, and in the Sign In section, visit the 'Forgot your password?' tab. After entering the email or mobile phone number, users will receive an email containing a personalized link with further steps. Two-step verification enabling is also advised by the e-commerce giant. Amazon in November started offering two-step verification for account holders to boost their security.

(Also see: 123456 Once Again Tops Annual 'Worst Passwords' List in 2015)

Companies recently have implemented few new ways how users can securely login to their accounts or access their personal information without facing any third-party interference. Besides the two factor authentication process, biometric technology such as fingerprint recognition, iris scanner and more, and encryption are other ways companies have started implementing to keep the user information secure.

Hello,

At Amazon we take your security and privacy very seriously. As part of our routine monitoring, we discovered a list of email addresses and passwords posted online. While the list was not Amazon-related, we know that many customers reuse their passwords on multiple websites. Since we believe your email addresses and passwords were on the list, we have assigned a temporary password to your Amazon.com account out of an abundance of caution.

You will need to reset your password when you return to the Amazon.com site. To reset your password, click "Your Account" at the top of any page on Amazon.com. On the Sign In page, click the "Forgot your password?" link to reach the Amazon.com Password Assistance page. After you enter your email or mobile phone number, you will receive an email containing a personalized link. Click the link from the email and follow the directions provided.

Your new password will be effective immediately. We recommend that you choose a password that you have never used with any website.

You can also enable Amazon's Two-Step Verification, a feature that adds an extra layer of security to your account. In addition to entering your password, Two-Step Verification requires you to enter a unique security code during sign in. To learn more about Two-Step Verification, go to Amazon.com Help, go to Managing Your Account, and click More in Managing Your Account, and then click More under Account Settings.

Sincerely,

Amazon.com