Massive Personal Information Leak: The Steps You Can Take Now To Protect Yourself From Identify Theft-
In April, National Public Data, a consumer data broker based in Florida, became a household name for all the wrong reasons. A hacker group, identifying themselves as “USDoD” claimed to be responsible for a massive data breach that comprised the personal information of nearly 272 million Americans. Included in the stolen data were social security numbers, which raised significant concerns about identity theft and what steps affected individuals should take next.
National Public Data operated by providing Investigators, background check websites, data resellers, and more with the ability to purchase information they held on everyday people for various reasons from checking an individuals criminal record to their credit score. If you’ve ever had a background check performed on you for a job, they most likely used a company or service very similar to National Public Data.
Social Security Numbers
Since their inception in 1935, Social Security Numbers have been the primary means by which Americans are identified by government agencies. While these numbers are essential for critical activities like banking, taxes, and government benefits, they also present a significant risk if they fall into the wrong hands. Identity theft occurs “…when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission,” often leading to fraudulent loans, credit card applications, and other forms of financial fraud.
Our whole lives, we’re told to protect our social security numbers like the information is gold… and it might as well be for many malicious parties in the world looking to take out loans and sign up for credit cards with your personal information. Victims of identity theft can find themselves entangled in a complex and time-consuming process to clear their names and prove innocence.
So now we know that almost 272 million social security numbers have been leaked. Here’s what happened and what you can do to check if yours has been leaked and what steps you should take next to protect yourself.
The Scope of the Breach
The recent breach at National Public Data exposed not just Social Security Numbers, but also a vast array of personal information, including email addresses, names, mailing addresses, and phone numbers. In total, the breach involved approximately 2.9 billions rows of data, now reportedly available for purchase on the Dark Web for $3.5 million. This may mean that your social security number could be safe, while other personally identifying information belonging to you could have been a part of the other 2.9 billion rows of data. While the exact cause of the breach is still under investigation, we can make reasonable speculation that it likely involved various common tactics such as social engineering, phishing, or a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack. It is important to remember that human error remains a significant factor in the majority of data breaches, with around 74% involving some form of human interaction with one of the most common ways being an employee clicking on a phishing link.
So what do we do now?
While we’ll happily give advice on the next steps you can take, be aware that we are not a financial institution or finance professionals and as such we cannot be held liable if these steps do not resolve any identity theft problems. With that being said, if you suspect your Social Security number or other personal information has been compromised, it’s crucial to take immediate action:
1. Check for Exposure:
Visit npdbreach.com to see if your information was part of the breach. This free tool, created by researchers at Atlas Data Privacy Corp, allows you to quickly determine if your data was leaked. If your information is safe, breathe a sigh of relief, but remain vigilant.
2. Freeze Your Credit:
If your information was compromised, your next step should be to freeze your credit. This prevents creditors from accessing your credit report, making it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. Freezing your credit does not harm your credit score and can be lifted when needed.
3. Seek Professional Advice:
Consider consulting a financial advisor or identity theft protection service to guide you through additional steps you can take to protect your identity and financial well-being.
…There’s a Silver Lining!?
Don’t lose all hope! There is a slight silver lining to this breach. Researchers at Atlas Data Privacy Corp found that many of the leaked Social Security Numbers belonged to individuals who are more than likely deceased. They found the average age of individuals in the leaked data is around 70 years old. with over 2 million records tied to people who would be 120 years old or older as of today. However, even if this offers some comfort, it’s still crucial to check your status and take appropriate measures.
Human Error – Why Training is The Lowest Common Denominator:
Whether or not your data was compromised in this breach, it serves as a stark reminder that our personal information is stored by numerous entities, often without our knowledge. In a business setting, while you may have some control over your data, ensuring its safety throughout the organization is a far more complex challenge.
Managing and securing business data requires a proactive approach. This is where a reputable Managed IT Service Provider (MSP) can make a difference. An MSP can provide employee monitoring with automatic risk detection and offer cybersecurity training programs to help employees identify, report, and defend against cyber threats. Given that human error plays a significant role in data breaches, investing in cybersecurity training offers one of the highest returns on investment for any organization.
Luckily for you, we do all of this and more for our clients. If you’re a business owner or executive, concerned about your data, not only for your personal self, but also your business then contact us today! Give us a call anytime at 401-356-3214 or click here to schedule a time that works best for you! We’ll walk you through our comprehensive approach to data security, ensuring that both your business and personal information are protected.
