> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.livingsecurity.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Blog - Github Passwords Recorded

> On the eve of World Password Day the code hosting service, Github, announced that it had inadvertently recorded visitors passwords to its internal logging system in clear-text.

On the eve of [World Password Day](https://nationaldaycalendar.com/world-password-day-first-thursday-in-may/) the code hosting service, Github, announced that it had inadvertently recorded visitors passwords to its internal logging system in clear-text. Reportedly, a small code error was to blame for exposing the private credentials before it was remedied. As an added security measure, Github urged a number of its 27 million users to change their passwords in order to regain access to their accounts.

This breach has since been contained by Github and [dismissed](https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3031566/github-bug-exposed-user-passwords-in-plaintext) by some observers as a “minor borkage,” but it stands as a stark reminder that the organizations we trust with our passwords are one small bug away from one big breach. And a near-miss like this one highlights the danger of employing a ‘cross my fingers and hope for the best’ type of policy.

What can you do to prevent a scarier outcome? In short: two factor authentication (2FA). Instead of signing into your accounts using only a password, 2FA allows you to set up an additional security check at each login. For example, a 2FA check could mean a 6-digit pin sent to your phone for verification or a randomized code displayed by an app on your personal device. And believe it or not, most organizations give you this option - though it’s often turned off by default. The minor inconvenience of an additional security check will far outweigh the pain of recovering from data loss or a stolen identity.