October 28, 2024
National Public Data Breach: What You Need to Know
In September 2024, National Public Data confirmed that a hacker had compromised the personal records of millions of individuals. The exposed information includes names, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers of up to 2.9 billion people.
What Happened?
National Public Data, a consumer data broker specializing in criminal records, background checks, and other data for private investigators, consumer public record sites, human resources, staffing agencies, the government, and more, was hacked. The breach is believed to have started in December 2023 when a third-party bad actor attempted to gain access.
In April, a cybercriminal known as "USDoD" posted the stolen data online in a popular criminal community. On August 6, the dataset resurfaced, this time posted for free on several breach forums, making it accessible to anyone.
The exposed personally identifiable information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and Social Security numbers for millions of people, including some deceased individuals. The data also contained previous addresses and, in some instances, alternate names.
The official data breach notice filed in Maine indicated that 1.3 million records might have been breached; however, some lawsuits suggest that up to 2.9 billion records have been exposed.
As the investigation continues, many cyber experts have found that some of the released data is inaccurate. Aside from Social Security numbers, most of the information is already public and easy to find online.
Why Is This Breach Dangerous?
Despite the information being publicly accessible, having all this critical data in one place makes it easy for criminals to use it to apply for credit cards, loans, or open new bank accounts.
Information like childhood street names or the last four digits of your Social Security number are often answers to security questions, which can help hackers bypass authentication and access your private accounts.
Some cyber experts predict a surge in phishing and smishing (phishing via SMS) attacks as a result.
Can You Be Affected Even If You've Never Heard of National Public Data?
Yes. Even if you haven't interacted with them, other organizations, businesses, landlords, etc., might have used their resources to gather information on you.
What Should You Do to Protect Yourself?
Step 1: Check if Your Data Has Been Exposed
Use tools like https://npd.pentester.com/ to find out if your information has been compromised. If it has, take immediate action.
Step 2: Request and Freeze Your Credit Report
One of the best ways to protect your identity is to freeze your credit and set up alerts. This prevents criminals from opening new lines of credit in your name. Contact all three major credit bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian—to request a freeze. The process is free and should take less than 10 minutes per site. If there are others in your household over the age of 18, it's advisable to freeze their credit too. Anyone with a Social Security number is vulnerable following a breach of this size.
Once you have a copy of your free credit report, review it for any unauthorized activity. Don't forget to set up alerts and regularly review your credit.
Step 3: Watch Out for Phishing Scams
Many cybercriminals will try to leverage this information to scam you through phone calls, text messages, e-mails, and even social media sites. Be cautious!
A data breach is devastating for everyone involved - the
business hacked and the customers or employees whose data is leaked. As a
business owner, it is your responsibility to make sure you are taking the
highest precautions to protect your business and its data. If you want to do a
full assessment and find out if any of your information has been leaked or if
your network is vulnerable to a breach, we'll do a FREE Consult. This deep dive into your network will provide you with a blueprint
for security steps to take. To book yours, call our office at 952-941-7333 or click here.
