There is a rumor going around that Nintendo might have had a major security breach, as many Switch users are reporting their accounts being accessed from other locations. Though these are just rumors and Nintendo hasn't made any statement on it, there is some pretty substantial evidence.
The rumor about Switch breaches began to spread yesterday afternoon when Pixelpar posted on Twitter that he suspects a breach. He continues to say that his account was accessed multiple times overnight despite having a strong password, and that many others were reporting similar problems recently as well with accounts being accessed from Russia and more.
For those Switch users that are concerned, there are a few safety measures that can be taken to ensure the security of one's account, many of which Pixelpar suggests in his tweet below. Following some of these guidelines should go a long way in protecting personal information from hackers.
For starters, Switch users should change their Nintendo account passwords to a unique string to make hacking more difficult. From there, the Switch offers Two Factor Authentication, also known as Two Step Verification, which provides an added layer of protection against intruders. Many have reported that changing their password alone was not enough to stop numerous access attempts from foreign parties, but that adding on Two Factor Authentication in addition to a new, unique password caused the issue to stop or at least slow considerably. Finally, it may be the right choice to unlink any PayPal accounts or Debit cards for the time being until this is sorted out.
All of this said, it is rather strange that Nintendo hasn't commented on the problem at all given the large number of reports. If there truly was a breach then it is a major problem which all Nintendo fans need to address before any vital information gets out. Some have noted that it seems there is an upshoot in breaches in hacking since the Coronavirus has many at home, as even Webkinz accounts were hacked, leaking millions of usernames and passwords. Of course, it is unlikely that these two instances are related.
These changes can take minutes to make but have the potential to save users quite a bit of trouble in the long run, so it is worth checking to make sure that there were no account breaches. Users wishing to do so can access their account login and Switch games history on the Nintendo website.
The Nintendo Switch is available now.
Source: Resetera
