Whether you're in the midst of an epic eBay battle for a celebrity's hairbrush or just casually browse the site for great deals, it's time to change your password. (Via Flickr / Derek K. Miller)
Wednesday eBay announced it suffered a network security breach. A database containing non-financial data such as encrypted passwords, dates of birth, and email addresses was compromised.
The company said in a press release there was "no evidence of any unauthorized access to financial or credit card information" and it didn't detect a spike in fraudulent account activity related to the breach. eBay plans to notify users "via email, site communications and other marketing channels."
According to CNET, the database was compromised in "late February and early March," but the e-commerce company wasn't aware of the issue until early May.
The Verge says there's a silver lining in all this. eBay-owned Paypal "was not involved in the breach, as PayPal data is kept on a separate network with higher levels of encryption."
No source has been able to determine exactly how much user data was compromised, but TechCrunch quotes an eBay spokesperson who said "a large number of accounts" were involved in the breach.
Regardless of the amount of data compromised, it's always a good idea to change your password when companies suffer a security breach. Oh, and don't use the same password across several sites — just don't.
