Evernote Resets All Passwords After Service is Hacked

Evernote says hackers were able to access usernames and encrypted passwords.

ByABC News

March 2, 2013, 7:15 PM

March 2, 2013  -- The next time you log in to your Evernote account, don't be surprised when you are asked to reset your password. The web and app-based digital notebook service reset all user passwords after a "coordinated attempt to access secure areas of the Evernote Service."

While Evernote states on its blog that no user content was accessed -- that means no personal notes in people's Evernote notebooks -- it does believe the hackers were able to access usernames, email addresses associated with the accounts and encrypted passwords.

"While our password encryption measures are robust, we are taking additional steps to ensure that your personal data remains secure," Evernote wrote on its blog. "This means that, in an abundance of caution, we are requiring all users to reset their Evernote account passwords."

All Evernote users will now be forced to change their passwords when they sign into their accounts via the web or mobile app.

The Evernote security breach comes after a long line of other Internet company breaches.

In early February, Twitter announced that approximately 250,000 Twitter accounts were compromised in a sophisticated attack.

Facebook and Apple were also targets of attackers, though both companies said that no user data was compromised.

Evernote has been the only hacked company to require a password reset for all of its users.

"We apologize for the annoyance of having to change your password, but, ultimately, we believe this simple step will result in a more secure Evernote experience," the company said in a statement on its blog today. In June 2012 the company had more than 34 million users.

Whether you are an Evernote user or not, now is a good time to follow some of these Internet safety tips, especially the ones that pertain to passwords. Make sure to use a different password for every account and that the passwords you use are strong, including a mix of upper- and lowercase letters and numbers.