Dropbox Urges Users To Change Old Passwords

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Dropbox has asked its users to change their passwords, if they haven’t done so since the online service’s launch in 2007. This comes as a ‘precautionary measure’ after a spate of hack attacks on an old set of Dropbox credentials in 2012.

In July 2012, Dropbox said its investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of of Dropbox accounts. It said it had contacted the users affected to help them protect their accounts.

The cloud storage service said that the move isn’t any indication that their accounts were improperly accessed.

“Based on our threat monitoring and the way we secure passwords, we don’t believe that any accounts have been improperly accessed,” the company said. “Still, as one of many precautions, we’re requiring anyone who hasn’t changed their password since mid-2012 to update it the next time they sign in.”

Dropbox is also recommending that users use two-factor authentication when resetting their passwords.

Launched in 2007, Dropbox allows users to store, access and share files easily from a variety of devices. It has accumulated 500 million sign-ups to the service.