{"id":351441,"date":"2023-12-19T21:01:10","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T02:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/?p=351441"},"modified":"2023-12-21T11:20:55","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T16:20:55","slug":"comcast-data-breach-fyi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/comcast-data-breach-fyi\/","title":{"rendered":"Comcast hit by huge data breach: everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-table-of-content-wrap{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);background-color:#eef0f0;border-top-left-radius:7px;border-top-right-radius:7px;border-bottom-right-radius:7px;border-bottom-left-radius:7px;box-shadow:0px 0px 14px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-table-of-contents-title-wrap{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-table-of-contents-title{font-weight:regular;font-style:normal;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-list{font-size:15px;font-weight:regular;font-style:normal;margin-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id351441_38b0af-57 .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before{background-color:#eef0f0;}<\/style>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you subscribe to Comcast&#8217;s Xfinity TV or Xfinity Internet services, now might be a good time to change your password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This week, the company issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20231218979935\/en\/Notice-To-Customers-of-Data-Security-Incident\" data-lasso-id=\"532808\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">press release<\/a> affirming it was the victim of a data breach after one of its software vendors discovered a security bug that was being actively exploited by hackers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The press release was issued when Comcast started notifying Maine regulators about the cybersecurity incident involving customer data theft, as required by state law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Comcast is expected to distribute similar notices in states with near-identical laws on the books and where it operates its Xfinity services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a look at what exactly happened, what Comcast is doing about the situation, and what steps you need to take to protect yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image351441_2c05cc-2d .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image351441_2c05cc-2d img.kb-img, .kb-image351441_2c05cc-2d .kb-img img{border-top-left-radius:4px;border-top-right-radius:4px;border-bottom-right-radius:4px;border-bottom-left-radius:4px;filter:drop-shadow(2px 7px 14px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2));}<\/style><div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image351441_2c05cc-2d\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1599\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/xfinity-home-app.webp\" alt=\"xfinity home app  on smartphone\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-351449\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/xfinity-home-app.webp 1599w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/xfinity-home-app-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/xfinity-home-app-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/xfinity-home-app-1536x865.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1599px) 100vw, 1599px\" \/><figcaption>Image: Comcast<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The situation began unfolding in early October at a software company called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citrix.com\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532809\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Citrix<\/a>, which provides tech-related services to thousands of enterprise customers like Comcast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Specifically, Citrix discovered that one of its products, Citrix NetScaler, had a serious security bug that allowed hackers to grab authentication tokens from onboard memory devices using the software. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kt-accordion-id351441_f2afde-31 .kt-accordion-panel-inner{border-top-left-radius:13px;border-top-right-radius:13px;border-bottom-right-radius:13px;border-bottom-left-radius:13px;background:#f2f3fa;padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kt-accordion-id351441_f2afde-31 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top:0px solid ;border-right:0px solid ;border-bottom:0px solid ;border-left:0px solid ;border-top-left-radius:8px;border-top-right-radius:8px;border-bottom-right-radius:8px;border-bottom-left-radius:8px;padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-xxs, 0.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-xs, 1rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-xxs, 0.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-xs, 1rem);}.kt-accordion-wrap.kt-accordion-id351441_f2afde-31 > .kt-accordion-inner-wrap > .kt-accordion-pane > .kt-accordion-header-wrap{margin-top:8px;}.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h2:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h3:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h4:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h5:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h6:first-child{margin-top:8px;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-accordion-id351441_f2afde-31 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top:0px solid ;border-right:0px solid ;border-bottom:0px solid ;border-left:0px solid ;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kt-accordion-id351441_f2afde-31 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top:0px solid ;border-right:0px solid ;border-bottom:0px solid ;border-left:0px solid ;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id351441_f2afde-31 kt-accordion-has-2-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-basic kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-1 kt-pane351441_68a714-03\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">What are authentication tokens? <\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p style=\"font-size:17px\">Imagine an &#8220;authentication token&#8221; as a single string of random letters and numbers that ultimately reveal a username and password \u2014 it&#8217;s a bit more complicated than that, but keep that analogy in mind. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:33px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Once a hacker obtained the authentication token, they essentially had access to a company&#8217;s NetScaler platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make matters even worse, the same exploit was also found to affect Citrix Gateway, a similar service that allows companies to remotely \u2014 and, supposedly, securely \u2014 access parts of their technical infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Citrix published a security bulletin on October 10, notifying clients like Comcast about the situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, researchers believe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mandiant.com\/resources\/blog\/remediation-netscaler-adc-gateway-cve-2023-4966\" data-lasso-id=\"532810\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the exploit was actively being used by hackers as soon as August<\/a>, giving them plenty of time to target government users and corporations that rely on the two Citrix products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Xfinity notifies customers of data breach\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gOeRDAkwL64?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Video: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@WNEP\" data-lasso-id=\"532811\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WNEP<\/a> \/ YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does Comcast fit into all of this?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Comcast didn&#8217;t say which Citrix products it uses, but given that the company offers residential and enterprise broadband Internet services, it&#8217;s fair to assume Comcast probably uses both NetScaler and Gateway as part of its business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a press release issued on Monday, Comcast said it received guidance from Citrix on two occasions \u2014 October 10 and October 23 \u2014 with information about how to fix the security problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On October 25, Comcast said it was performing a &#8220;routine cybersecurity exercise,&#8221; and that is when it discovered that hackers likely gained access to its internal systems between October 16 and October 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Xfinity notified federal law enforcement and initiated an investigation into the nature and scope of the incident,&#8221; a Comcast spokesperson said in a statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What kind of information was supposedly taken?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It took Comcast nearly three weeks to conclude that &#8220;information was likely acquired,&#8221; which may include the personal information of some of its Xfinity TV, Xfinity Internet, and Xfinity Mobile subscribers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That information could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A customer&#8217;s name<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A customer&#8217;s address and other contact information<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The last four digits of a customer&#8217;s Social Security number<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A customer&#8217;s date of birth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Usernames and &#8220;hashed,&#8221; or encrypted, passwords<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The answers to a customer&#8217;s &#8220;secret&#8221; login question(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Comcast said the findings are not conclusive, and its &#8220;data analysis is continuing.&#8221; But, since the company apparently has information that leads it to believe customer information was &#8220;likely acquired,&#8221; it began notifying state government officials and customers accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It isn&#8217;t clear why Comcast waited nearly a full month to notify customers after reaching the conclusion that the personal data of Xfinity subscribers may have been compromised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Comcast spokesperson has not yet returned an email seeking more information on that point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What should Comcast customers do?<\/h2>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image351441_a66524-e0 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image351441_a66524-e0 img.kb-img, .kb-image351441_a66524-e0 .kb-img img{border-top-left-radius:4px;border-top-right-radius:4px;border-bottom-right-radius:4px;border-bottom-left-radius:4px;filter:drop-shadow(2px 7px 14px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2));}<\/style><div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image351441_a66524-e0\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/purekeep-password-manager-1600x900.webp\" alt=\"purekeep password manager illustration on a purple background\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-281867\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/purekeep-password-manager.webp 1600w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/purekeep-password-manager-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/purekeep-password-manager-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/purekeep-password-manager-1536x864.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption>Image: KnowTechie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change your Comcast Xfinity password<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Comcast said it is proactively requiring some customers to reset their passwords when they try to log on to the Xfinity website and related apps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a customer gets this prompt, it doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean their account information was compromised, only that it could have been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>if you&#8217;re a Comcast customer, it&#8217;s probably a good idea to change the password on the Xfinity website and any other account where that password may have been reused.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stop reusing the same password<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Since most of us live in the real world where no one actually does that, signing up for a password manager like <a href=\"https:\/\/bitwarden.com\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532812\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bitwarden<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/nordpass\/\" rel=\"nofollow sponsored noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-lasso-id=\"532813\" data-lasso-name=\"NordPass\">NordPass<\/a> is a good idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/best-free-password-managers\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532814\">The best free password managers<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Password managers offer a safe (<a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/lastpass-owner-confirms-worst-fears-stolen-customer-vault-data\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"271257\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"532815\">for the most part<\/a>) way to manage different passwords from a single secure service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some \u2014 like NordPass and <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/1password-password-manager-for-families-businesses-teams\/\" rel=\"nofollow sponsored noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-lasso-id=\"532816\" data-lasso-name=\"1Password\">1Password<\/a> \u2014 will even warn you if you&#8217;re using an insecure password or <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/google-password-checkup\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532817\">reusing a password<\/a> across different services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-affiliate-plugin-lasso\"><div id=\"lasso-anchor-id-270020-532829\" class=\"lasso-container\">\n    <!-- LASSO DISPLAY BOX (https:\/\/getlasso.co) -->\n\t<div class=\"lasso-display lasso-llama lasso-url-nordpass \">\n\n\t\t<!-- BADGE -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<!-- LASSO TITLE, PRICE, DESC, AND IMAGE -->\n\t\t<div class=\"lasso-box-1\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"lasso-image\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/nordpass\/\" data-lasso-box-trackable=\"true\" data-lasso-id=\"270020\" data-lasso-name=\"NordPass\" title=\"NordPass\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/nordpass.webp\" height=\"500\" width=\"500\" class=\"rocket-lazyload\" alt=\"NordPass\" title=\"\">\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"lasso-title\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/nordpass\/\" data-lasso-box-trackable=\"true\" data-lasso-id=\"270020\" data-lasso-name=\"NordPass\" title=\"NordPass\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNordPass\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-stars\" style=\"--rating: 4.5\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"lasso-stars-value\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t4.5\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-price\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-price-value\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"discount-price\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"latest-price\">Starts at $2.29<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-fields\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"lasso-fields-single\">\n\t<strong>Quick Verdict:<\/strong>\n\tNordPass offers strong security features and an easy-to-use interface with great business options. However, it's pricier than competitors, and the free version has limitations compared to others. Overall, it's still among the best choices available right now.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<!-- List field -->\n<div class=\"lasso-fields-single\">\n\t<strong>Who is it good for?:<\/strong>\n\t<div class=\"lasso-fields-who-is-it-good-for lasso-fields-99996\">\n\t\t<ul class=\"list\"><li>People who struggle to remember multiple passwords<\/li><li>Useful for couples or families who need to share passwords securely and efficiently<\/li><li>Businesses that prioritize strong security features and ease of use in managing password<\/li><\/ul>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"lasso-fields-pros lasso-fields-2\">\n\t\t<strong>Pros:<\/strong>\n\t\t<ul><li><span class=\"lasso-check\"><span class=\"lasso-check-content\"><\/span><\/span>Easy-to-use interface that only requires one master password<\/li><li><span class=\"lasso-check\"><span class=\"lasso-check-content\"><\/span><\/span>Its data breach scanner and actionable password health report help users identify weak and compromised passwords<\/li><li><span class=\"lasso-check\"><span class=\"lasso-check-content\"><\/span><\/span>Supports secure credential sharing<\/li><\/ul>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"lasso-fields-cons lasso-fields-3\">\n\t\t<strong>Cons:<\/strong>\n\t\t<ul><li><span class=\"lasso-x\"><span class=\"lasso-x-1\"><\/span><span class=\"lasso-x-2\"><\/span><\/span>The free version has limitations<\/li><li><span class=\"lasso-x\"><span class=\"lasso-x-1\"><\/span><span class=\"lasso-x-2\"><\/span><\/span>It's a bit more expensive than some of its competitors<\/li><\/ul>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<!-- BUTTONS -->\n\t\t<div class=\"lasso-box-2\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"lasso-button-1\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/nordpass\/\" data-lasso-box-trackable=\"true\" data-lasso-id=\"270020\" data-lasso-name=\"NordPass\" title=\"NordPass\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">\n\t\t\t\tCheck Price\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<!-- LASSO DISCLOSURES & DATE -->\n\t\t<div class=\"lasso-box-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-disclosure\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"lasso-date\">\n\t\t\t\t <i class=\"lasso-amazon-info\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-tooltip=\"Price and availability are accurate as of the date and time indicated and are subject to change.\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Turn on &#8220;Two-factor authentication&#8221; wherever it is offered. <\/h4>\n\n\n<style>.kt-accordion-id351441_90a013-d8 .kt-accordion-panel-inner{border-top-left-radius:13px;border-top-right-radius:13px;border-bottom-right-radius:13px;border-bottom-left-radius:13px;background:#f2f3fa;padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kt-accordion-id351441_90a013-d8 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top:0px solid ;border-right:0px solid ;border-bottom:0px solid ;border-left:0px solid ;border-top-left-radius:8px;border-top-right-radius:8px;border-bottom-right-radius:8px;border-bottom-left-radius:8px;background:#3d0bd6;padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-xxs, 0.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-xs, 1rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-xxs, 0.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-xs, 1rem);}.kt-accordion-wrap.kt-accordion-id351441_90a013-d8 > .kt-accordion-inner-wrap > .kt-accordion-pane > .kt-accordion-header-wrap{margin-top:8px;}.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h2:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h3:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h4:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h5:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h6:first-child{margin-top:8px;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-accordion-id351441_90a013-d8 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top:0px solid ;border-right:0px solid ;border-bottom:0px solid ;border-left:0px solid ;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kt-accordion-id351441_90a013-d8 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top:0px solid ;border-right:0px solid ;border-bottom:0px solid ;border-left:0px solid ;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id351441_90a013-d8 kt-accordion-has-2-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-basic kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-1 kt-pane351441_4bb518-92\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">What is two-factor authentication? <\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p style=\"font-size:17px\">Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security that, coupled with a hard-to-guess password, makes it extremely difficult for hackers to gain access to your online accounts. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/what-is-two-factor-authentication-and-why-it-matters\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532818\">Two-factor authentication<\/a> (2FA) is an extra layer of security that, coupled with a hard-to-guess password, makes it extremely difficult for hackers to gain access to your online accounts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In most cases, Two-Factor Authentication involves sending a six-digit code to your phone, usually by text message (though, in some cases, you can also opt for a phone call). <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image351441_7b9d54-9d .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}.kb-image351441_7b9d54-9d img.kb-img, .kb-image351441_7b9d54-9d .kb-img img{border-top-left-radius:4px;border-top-right-radius:4px;border-bottom-right-radius:4px;border-bottom-left-radius:4px;filter:drop-shadow(2px 7px 14px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2));}<\/style><div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image351441_7b9d54-9d\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1584\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/google-two-factor-1584x900.jpg\" alt=\"google two factor feature on iphone\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-111858\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/google-two-factor-1584x900.jpg 1584w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/google-two-factor-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/google-two-factor-768x436.jpg 768w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/google-two-factor-1536x873.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/google-two-factor.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1584px) 100vw, 1584px\" \/><figcaption>Image: KnowTechie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>There are also apps that will generate Two-Factor Authentication codes for e-mail services, social media accounts, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/what-is-two-factor-authentication-and-why-it-matters\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532819\">Two-factor Authentication<\/a> should always be turned on for services where hackers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Could steal your money (think bank accounts or services where you pay for things online, like Amazon, your home Internet provider, etc.).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could steal your personal data, like billing information, irreplaceable photos, or email messages.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Xfinity customers looking to add two-factor authentication to their accounts can follow along with this guide via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xfinity.com\/support\/articles\/two-step-verification-xfinity-app-setup\" data-lasso-id=\"532820\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Xfinity website<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep an eye on your credit report and score. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>While Comcast says it isn&#8217;t aware of anyone actively using the personal information of Xfinity subscribers, some data like names, addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers can be used by hackers to open loans, credit lines, and bank accounts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most banks, credit unions, and credit card companies offer a limited amount of credit monitoring and alerts to customers for free; if they don&#8217;t, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.experian.com\/consumer-products\/credit-monitoring.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"532821\">Experian offers free basic credit monitoring<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wrapping this all up <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Comcast&#8217;s recent acknowledgment of a data breach serves as a critical reminder of the digital vulnerabilities that exist even within large corporations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With all that said, act now: change your Xfinity password, stop reusing passwords, and turn on two-factor authentication. Stay vigilant to protect your personal info from cyber threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our&nbsp;<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/knowtechie\" target=\"_blank\" data-lasso-id=\"532822\">Twitter<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/knowtechie\" target=\"_blank\" data-lasso-id=\"532823\">Facebook<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Editors\u2019 Recommendations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/comcast-cybersecurity-report-2022\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532824\"><strong>Comcast report proves people still don\u2019t care about cybersecurity<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/comcast-xfinity-subscribers-will-soon-get-faster-internet-speeds\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532825\"><strong>Comcast Xfinity subscribers will soon get faster internet speeds<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/what-equipment-do-i-need-to-return-to-comcast\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532826\"><strong>What equipment do I need to return to Comcast?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/comcast-is-working-on-a-smart-tv-and-voice-remote-that-could-release-late-this-year\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532827\"><strong>Comcast is working on a smart TV and voice remote that could release late this year<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:17px\"><em>Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It&#8217;s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/disclosure\/\" data-lasso-id=\"532828\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;for more.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Comcast is the latest company to disclose a serious data breach that could involve the theft of customers&#8217; personal information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9441,"featured_media":262882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-12-20T02:01:22Z","apple_news_api_id":"0f65f2e3-8a30-475c-bb4d-78591aa5b00d","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-12-21T16:21:05Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AD2Xy44owR1y7TXhZGqWwDQ","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2022,2,9],"tags":[544],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo.jpg",1600,900,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo.jpg",1000,563,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo.jpg",1600,900,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-1000x600.jpg",1000,600,true],"mvp-post-thumb":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-1000x600.jpg",1000,600,true],"mvp-mid-thumb":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-400x240.jpg",400,240,true],"mvp-small-thumb":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-80x80.jpg",80,80,true],"lets-review-360-240":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo-360x240.jpg",360,240,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable":"<p>Comcast is the latest company to disclose a serious data breach that could involve the theft of customers&#8217; personal information.<\/p>\n","category_list":"<a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/category\/security\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Security<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/category\/tech\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Tech<\/a>","author_info":{"display_name":"Matthew Keys","author_link":"https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/author\/matthew-keys\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":2022,"label":"Security"},{"value":2,"label":"News"},{"value":9,"label":"Tech"}],"post_tag":[{"value":544,"label":"News"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/knowtechie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/comcast-cybersecurity-logo.jpg",1000,563,false],"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":2022,"name":"Security","slug":"security","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2037,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Don't put your company, family, or private information in danger. Stay updated with the latest security news, new breaches and cyber attacks.","parent":0,"count":641,"filter":"raw","term_order":"28","cat_ID":2022,"category_count":641,"category_description":"Don't put your company, family, or private information in danger. Stay updated with the latest security news, new breaches and cyber attacks.","cat_name":"Security","category_nicename":"security","category_parent":0},{"term_id":2,"name":"News","slug":"news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Need to catch up on the latest tech news happening right now? Well, this is a good place to start. Learn everything that's happening in tech right now.","parent":0,"count":9154,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1","cat_ID":2,"category_count":9154,"category_description":"Need to catch up on the latest tech news happening right now? Well, this is a good place to start. 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