Cryptocurrency exchange Poloniex has forced a password reset s due to a leaked list of electronic mail addresses and passwords on Twitter. According to Poloniex Security Architect Neil Smithline 5.5% of the posted Twitter list contained email addresses associated with a Poloniex account.

On Dec. 30, the exchange emailed its customers as a security precaution to inform them that a listing of leaked e-mail addresses and passwords that appeared on another website could potentially be used to log in to Poloniex accounts. The exchange forced a password reset on any email addresses on the list that have an account with the commutation. The email reads:

"While almost all of the [leaked] email addresses listed do non belong to Poloniex accounts, we are forcing a countersign reset on whatsoever email addresses that exercise have an account with us, including yours."

Poloniex client thinks the commutation's email is a scam

A Poloniex customer was convinced that the exchange's e-mail was a scam and took to Twitter to bring attention to the perceived hoax. This put Poloniex customer support into the awkward position of having to explain that the email was indeed real and not a scam. "This is a real email! Please reset your countersign for account security," they responded.

It is unclear how the e-mail addresses and passwords landed on Twitter in the offset place.

Smithline, told Cointelegraph that simply 5.5% of information that appeared on the list is associated with Poloniex accounts was included on the list. Smithline said:

"We received via Twitter a list of 950,000 or so electronic mail and password combinations claiming to be a leak from our database. Nosotros looked at that information and information technology clearly was not a leak from our database. We only knew about 5 and a half percent of the users in our database, which is a suspiciously loftier number. Wherever the leak came from was almost certainly another crypto site."

Poloniex and the largest decentralized exchange on Tron

At the end of November, Cointelegraph reported that Poloniex at present controls the largest decentralized commutation on blockchain network Tron (TRX). Confirmed past Tron CEO Justin Dominicus, Poloniex will operate TRX Market under the new name Poloni DEX.

UPDATE: UTC 7:00pm, Midweek, Jan. 8: This article has been updated to correct a factual error . A Poloniex representative has informed Cointelegraphthat a countersign reset was not forced upon all accounts — but v.5 pct of the posted Twitter list contained email addresses associated with a Poloniex account. These users had to reset passwords to ensure the protection of those accounts.