How to Check if Your Data Was Breached (Free Tools & Guide)

The Data Breach Epidemic

Data breaches are now a daily occurrence. In 2025 alone:

• 3,200+ publicly disclosed data breaches
• 8.2 billion records exposed
• Average person affected by 5+ breaches

Your email and passwords have likely been compromised without your knowledge.

How to Check If You've Been Breached

1. Have I Been Pwned (Free)

The most trusted breach-checking service, created by security researcher Troy Hunt.

How to use it:

• Go to haveibeenpwned.com
• Enter your email address
• See which breaches include your data

What it shows:

• Which services were breached
• What data was exposed (email, password, address, etc.)
• When the breach occurred

2. GhostMyData Breach Scan

Our service integrates breach monitoring with data broker removal.

What we check:

• Multiple email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Dark web exposure
• Real-time monitoring for new breaches

Run a free breach scan

3. Google Password Checkup

Built into Chrome and Google accounts.

• Go to passwords.google.com
• Click "Password Checkup"
• See which saved passwords were compromised

4. Firefox Monitor

Mozilla's free breach-checking service.

• Go to monitor.firefox.com
• Enter your email
• Get notified of future breaches

What Data Breaches Expose

Different breaches expose different data:

• Email addresses (most common)
• Passwords (hashed or plain text)
• Names and usernames
• Phone numbers
• Physical addresses
• Social Security Numbers
• Credit card numbers
• Medical records
• Private messages

What To Do After a Breach

Immediate Steps

• Change your password on the breached service
• Change it everywhere else if you reused it
• Enable 2FA on all important accounts
• Check your accounts for unauthorized activity

Password Security

• Use a unique password for every account
• Use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden)
• Make passwords 16+ characters
• Enable two-factor authentication everywhere

Monitor for Fraud

• Check credit reports at annualcreditreport.com
• Set up fraud alerts with credit bureaus
• Consider a credit freeze
• Monitor bank statements closely

Long-Term Protection

• Use breach monitoring services
• Remove data from data brokers (reduces exposure)
• Use email aliases for signups
• Be cautious of phishing attempts after breaches

The Dark Web Connection

Breached data often ends up on the dark web where criminals:

• Sell login credentials in bulk
• Trade personal information
• Use data for identity theft
• Launch targeted phishing attacks

GhostMyData monitors dark web markets and forums to alert you when your data appears.

Comprehensive Protection with GhostMyData

While free tools check for past breaches, GhostMyData provides:

• Continuous breach monitoring - Get instant alerts
• Dark web surveillance - Monitor criminal marketplaces
• Data broker removal - Reduce your exposed footprint
• Proactive protection - Remove data before it's breached

Get comprehensive breach monitoring with your free scan.