A data breach affecting 16 million German internet users was announced this week by the country's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).
The agency was made aware of the millions of compromised online accounts by law enforcement and research institutions that were analyzing botnets, according to a release.
In addition to infecting users' computers with malware, hackers made off with passwords and usernames tied to email addresses and social media accounts, as well as some online shopping portals.
According to a report by Associated Press, Tim Griese, a spokesman for BSI, said that the majority of users appear to be in Germany, because half of the accounts have .de domain-name endings.
The agency has set up a web page where individuals can check to see if they have been impacted by the breach.
