Welcome to my other blog today we discussed “Massive Data Breach Exposes Personal Information of Billions, Sparks New Lawsuit”.A recent lawsuit has brought to light a catastrophic data breach that allegedly compromised the personal information of billions of individuals. The exposed data includes sensitive details such as Social Security numbers, current and previous addresses, and even the names of family members, potentially paving the way for fraudsters to access financial accounts or fraudulently take out loans in victims’ names.
The Lawsuit’s Origin
The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by Christopher Hofmann. A resident of California. Hofmann claims that his identity theft protection service alerted him. To the fact that his personal information had been leaked onto the dark web. Due to a breach associated with “nationalpublicdata.com.” The breach, first reported by Bloomberg Law, has raised significant concerns about the security measures employed by companies handling such vast amounts of sensitive data.
The Breach: What Happened?
The breach allegedly occurred around April 2024, involving a hacker group known as USDoD. According to the lawsuit, this group managed to exfiltrate unencrypted personal information belonging to billions of individuals from a company called National Public Data (NPD). NPD is a background check company that provides various services, including criminal records and Social Security Number (SSN) traces, to employers, investigators, and other businesses.
Earlier this month, a version of the stolen NPD data was reportedly leaked for free on a hacking forum. As per tech site Bleeping Computer. The hacker responsible for the leak claimed that the stolen files contained 2.7 billion records, each with detailed personal information such as full names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and phone numbers.
The Scale and Impact of the Breach
The scale of the breach is staggering, with billions of individuals potentially affected. The lawsuit alleges that on April 8, USDoD posted a database titled “National Public Data” on the dark web, offering it for sale at a price of $3.5 million.
Despite the severity of the breach, NPD has reportedly not provided any notification or warning to those affected. The lawsuit contends that the vast majority of individuals. Those whose personal information was compromised are unaware of the breach and remain at significant risk of identity theft. Along with other forms of personal, social, and financial harm.
Lack of Notification and Legal Compliance
The lawsuit further criticizes NPD for its failure to notify victims of the breach, a legal requirement in many states. Information security company McAfee noted that it has not found any filings with state attorney generals, which is a necessary step for companies that experience data breaches. The absence of such filings raises questions about NPD’s compliance with state laws and regulations governing data breaches.
Protecting Yourself: Steps to Take
In light of the breach, security experts are urging consumers to take immediate steps to protect their personal information. One of the most effective measures is to place a freeze on your credit files with the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Freezing your credit is a free service and prevents unauthorized parties from opening new credit accounts or taking out loans in your name.
Additionally, consumers should consider enrolling in a tracking service that monitors the dark web for their personal information. Such services can provide alerts if your data is detected. Allowing you to take swift action to protect yourself. Another crucial step is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all your accounts. This adds an extra layer of security, making it more challenging for hackers to gain unauthorized access.
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Conclusion
The massive data breach involving National Public Data is a stark reminder of the importance of robust data security measures. With billions of individuals potentially affected, the fallout from this breach could be far-reaching. As the lawsuit progresses, it will likely shed more light on the breach’s full extent and the responsibilities of companies handling personal data. In the meantime individuals are urged to take proactive steps to safeguard. Their information and mitigate the risks of this unprecedented breach.