A huge data leak of some 2.7 billion records may include sensitive personal data for every person in the US (including social security numbers), the UK, and Canada.
The data is said to have come from a company known as National Public Data, which collects and sells personal data for use in background checks by private investigators and others …
Bleeping Computer reports that a hacker attempted to sell this data (then said to be 2.9B rather than 2.7B records) for $3.5M, stating that it contained records of every individual in each of the three countries…
The site notes that the number is far higher than the combined populations of the three countries because there is a separate record for each address at which an individual is known to have lived.
Lawrence Abrams for BleepingComputer:
The leaked data consists of two text files totaling 277GB and containing nearly 2.7 billion plaintext records, rather than the original 2.9 billion number originally shared by USDoD.
While BleepingComputer can’t confirm if this leak contains the data for every person in the US, numerous people have confirmed to us that it included their and family members’ legitimate information, including those who are deceased.
Each record consists of the following information – a person’s name, mailing addresses, and social security number, with some records including additional information, like other names associated with the person. None of this data is encrypted…
The data breach has led to multiple class action lawsuits against Jerico Pictures, which is believed to be doing business as National Public Data, for not adequately protecting people’s data.
If you live in the US, this data breach has likely leaked some of your personal information.
As the data contains hundreds of millions of social security numbers, it is suggested that you monitor your credit report for fraudulent activity and report it to the credit bureaus if detected.
MacDailyNews Take:
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Yet, we’re led to believe that all our personal data should exist on some anonymous server somewhere, or as our brightest light bulb Kamala says…”as exists above us in this cloud”.
Lol well there are at least six Kamala lovers here more to come I’m sure.
And, some businesses ask for a SS# for security purposes. Way before this event, it seemed like an idiotic “security measure” as the “social” was easy to find.
Call me a skeptical cynic…these breaches portend something darker? Someday soon, we’ll have to “wear” a personal # to ensure safety, protection and daily functioning.
I love yellow school buses, btw. A lot!
She really is very dumb. It’s painful.
This is why I use a Citibank credit card for most online shopping because they offer free Virtual Card Numbers.
This is why I do not write checks.
This is why I have a free credit freeze on my Experian, TransUnion and Equifax credit files.
This is why I use two-factor authentication at every website that I login to that offers two-factor authentication. And if they offer FIDO Security Keys, One-Time Passcode generator apps or Push Notifications, I use that option rather than a one-time code via SMS.
You are wasting your time. They know your underwear size. LOL.
I guess my question is why are these companies allowed to collect and store such personal information for millions of people without some sort of permission?
Granted it’s getting harder to be secure, but really, letting one place hold such massive amounts of personal data without asking anyone if they can or should… just dumb….