Time to change your Spotify password as user data appears online

Music streaming service Spotify has denied that its security has been hacked after a list of hundreds of Spotify usernames and passwords was published on a file sharing website.

Tech blogs revealed that last week that Spotify user data was published on Pastebin.com, with TechCrunch reportedly verifying that some of the account data was in fact genuine.

Some users have reported songs they didn’t chose appearing on their playlists while others, more worryingly, have found themselves locked out from their accounts after their login credentials were apparently changed by third parties.

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One explanation for the data appearing online is that the service was hacked, but Spotify were quick to deny that any security breach occurred.

A Spotify Spokesman said: “Spotify has not been hacked and our user records are secure. We monitor Pastebin and other sites regularly. When we find Spotify credentials, we first verify that they are authentic, and if they are, we immediately notify affected users to change their passwords.”

While Spotify insists that user data is safe - and that affected customers will be notified of any issues - it would now be a good time to change your password.

And if you use the same passwords for multiple services - for example Facebook, twitter or your email account - change those as well.

Follow this password advice to keep your data safe online

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• Make sure you use different passwords for each different social media account.

• Always log off if you leave your device unattended - it only takes a second for someone to steal your password

• Avoid entering passwords on computers you don’t own

• Don’t tell anyone your password. Relationships come and go - a trusted friend or partner could be a bitter ex in the future.

• Change your passwords periodically. The more sensitive the information, the more often you should change your credentials.

• Check your password strength. If the site you are signing up for offers a password strength analyser, listen to its advice.