Opera sync system hacked, passwords of 1.7 million users reset

Opera says the sync feature on its browsers was recently hacked, and data of some of its users was compromised. As a security measure, the Norway-based software firm is forcing all sync users to reset their passwords.

Opera’s synchronization feature allows people to work seamlessly across desktop, mobile, and tablet devices. The company said that its servers were attacked recently and while it “quickly blocked” those attacks, it believes passwords and account information of some of its sync users may still have been compromised. The company has reset password for all the Opera sync accounts and is urging users to change the password on third-party services if they were linked to Opera sync. The feature allows people to save login information of other services across devices.

Opera has assured that all the credentials saved via sync feature are hashed and salted, hinting that even if the data was breached it would be difficult for hackers to scramble and make sense of it. Opera's browsers are used by over 350 million people on desktop and mobile devices but only 1.7 million use the sync feature. It is safe to assume that the vast majority of Opera users aren’t affected by the breach. The company insists as such, adding that its users who haven’t tried sync feature don’t need to worry about the breach.