Avast email legit? What to do?

[asha]

I was using Avast free about ten years ago, but then went with a different paid provider. I got an email from Avast (maybe?) today telling me that: "We’ve reset your password because the email and password you were using for your Avast Account were compromised in a leak on another service. Don’t worry, your account is secure. This is just a security precaution to make sure it stays that way. To update your password, just click here:
How do you know my password leaked?   
When you signed in to your Avast Account, we compared your sign-in information against a database of leaked data managed by SpyCloud, a third-party cybersecurity company. This revealed that your password had been leaked. Your password was not shared with anyone during this check."

I haven't signed into my free Avast account for over ten years.

My username was not mentioned anywhere in the email.
Every single link on the page start with; click.emails.avast.com/?qs=
I don't use Avast free anymore, I have no idea what my password was. So two questions:

1. Is the email from Avast?
2. Can I just forget about this and go on with my life?

Thanks.

[bob3160]

I don't work for Avast so can't confirm the authenticity.
Since you no longer use Avast no need to be concerned about a compromised Avast user password
unless you use the same password on multiple sites.

[redwolfe_98]

in my experience, you have to log in to your avast account in order to be logged in to the avast forum, so you must have had the password for your avast account, and logged in to your avast account, in order to be logged in to the avast forum.

i have never heard of a situation as described in the email, where a password-leak was detected by a third party and so one's account-password was reset.

i have heard of databases being hacked, where passwords were reset. like, for example, if avast got hacked, then they might reset everyone's passwords.

[asha]

Good point. It might also be the case that the Avast account, and the forum account, are separate things. I had the password for the forum written down as "Avast forum", not simply "Avast". Do you just have the one account for both?

At any rate, I'm hoping that it doesn't really matter since I'm no longer using Avast antimalware. My current antimalware provider alerted me to the fact that my email is being sold to spammers, several years ago. It gets a lot of spam, in waves. I hardly use that email account anymore. And I simply can't see what use my old Avast password could be to anybody, although I may be being naive.

[redwolfe_98]

i would say that finding things on the darkweb, like your email address, usernames, or old passwords, usually is nothing to be concerned about. usually, if a database is hacked, all of the passwords are reset, so, end of story.

[Rundvleeskroket]

in my experience, you have to log in to your avast account in order to be logged in to the avast forum

Logged in to your Avast account where?

I'm logged in to the forum, obviously, but I'm definitely not logged in to my Avast account on Avast itself.

Login for the forum via email and password directly, not Facebook or some other similar nonsense.

I don't even think I have an Avast account, unless the forum registration is the same thing.