140M Accounts Breached: What’s Zello Hiding?

Zello, a popular mobile application with 140 million users, has issued a warning to its customers to change their account passwords due to a potential security threat.

The app, which operates on the Push-to-Talk principle, is utilized by a diverse range of users including emergency service personnel, hotel staff, transportation workers, as well as friends and family members.

Since mid-November, numerous users have received notifications advising them to update passwords for accounts created before November 2, 2024. Additionally, it is recommended to change passwords for other online services if they match the Zello password. The notification includes a link to the support page that guides users on how to change their password through the application.

Users who received the warning have reported a lack of further explanation from the company. Despite media inquiries, Zello has not provided any additional details.

While it is unclear if the warning is connected to a data breach or an attack utilizing previously compromised accounts, the possibility of hackers obtaining access to user passwords is causing concern. It appears that accounts created before November 2 may have been impacted, suggesting that the security incident occurred during that period.

Zello has faced data breaches in the past, with a similar incident occurring in 2020 where email addresses and hashed customer passwords were stolen, necessitating a password change. Users of the platform are advised to exercise caution and update their information to safeguard against potential threats.