Several LastPass users claim that they’re receiving emails from the company about unauthorized login attempts using their master passwords. Fortunately, LastPass has responded to the issue, and the password manager says it hasn’t leaked any user information.
Reports originated from Hacker News, where a user said, “LastPass blocked a login attempt from Brazil (it wasn’t me). According to an email I received from LastPass, this login was using the LastPass account’s master password. The email doesn’t look like it’s a phishing attempt.”
This led to reports that LastPass may have somehow leaked master passwords, as these emails only arrive if the unauthorized person logs in with the correct password. However, this seemed unlikely, as LastPass makes it clear that it doesn’t store master passwords on its servers and that everything is done locally.
We reached out to LastPass for comment, and a spokesperson confirmed our suspicions:
LastPass investigated recent reports of blocked login attempts and determined the activity is related to fairly common bot-related activity, in which a malicious or bad actor attempts to access user accounts (in this case, LastPass) using email addresses and passwords obtained from third-party breaches related to other unaffiliated services. It’s important to note that we do not have any indication that accounts were successfully accessed or that the LastPass service was otherwise compromised by an unauthorized party. We regularly monitor for this type of activity and will continue to take steps designed to ensure that LastPass, its users, and their data remain protected and secure.
It seems LastPass did exactly what it’s supposed to do in this situation by blocking a login attempt that seemed suspicious.
It sounds like the users who had their passwords stolen could have been the victim of a keylogger or other third-party form of attack. Their information could have also been leaked in an unrelated attack where they’re using the same email address and password.
Either way, if you’re a LastPass user (or user of any sensitive tool like a password manager), it’s a good idea to enable two-factor authentication to make sure you’re safe from anyone gaining unauthorized access to your account.
RELATED: What Is Two-Factor Authentication, and Why Do I Need It?