Video Games Chronicle broke the news of the 125GB torrent of Twitch data posted anonymously on a 4chan messaging board. The hack covers everything from the source code for Twitch.tv to three years of details on creator payouts.
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The hack has been verified as real and while the data leaked so far does not include passwords or other personal information for individual users (beyond the creator earnings), it is important to note that the leak was identified as “part one.” Given the sheer volume and wide-ranging data that is captured in this leak, it seems likely that the hacker could have that data, it’s just a question of whether they will release it. Twitch has officially confirmed the breach via its Twitter account, but has not offered any insight into how it happened or the full extent of what data was lost. We’ll update this article with any additional comments from Twitch. If you have a Twitch account, you should change your password and ideally turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for an additional layer of protection. As always, we recommend using an authentication app for 2FA as there are too many potential problems with using your phone number for 2FA. The breach may have been motivated by ongoing harassment concerns surrounding Twitch with the anonymous hacker using the #TwitchDoBetter hashtag started by that movement.
How to change your password on Twitch
Changing your password on Twitch is a quick and easy process, we can have your new password in place in less than a minute.
In your Twitch account click on your profile image in the upper-rightSelect SettingsClick on Security and PrivacySelect Change password Enter your old password, then repeat a new password and click Change Password
How to set up two-factor authentication on Twitch
Setting up two-factor authentication is a bit more involved than changing your password, but it will be worth it and if you already have a 2FA method it should still take less than a minute. If you have never used 2FA before then you should quickly take a look at our how to use 2FA guide first and then come back.
In your Twitch account click on your profile image in the upper-rightSelect SettingsClick on Security and PrivacySelect Set Up Two-Factor AuthenticationClick Enable 2FAEnter a cell phone number to receive an authentication code Type the confirmation number from the text message and click continueScan the QR code using your 2FA app, enter the code and click SubmitClick Done
That’s it, your Twitch account is now secured!
