FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - A class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale revealed how a hacking group known as “USDoD” – not to be confused with the United States Department of Defense – gained access to the personal records of as many as 2.8 billion people. The data was recovered from the databases of National Public Data (NPD), a company that provides personal information of Americans to employers and private investigators for the purpose of conducting background checks.
The news underscores the importance of Americans protecting their personal data at a time when their online personal records are more vulnerable than ever.
A report from Bloomberg described how the cybercriminal hacking group USDoD published a database on a dark web forum that they claimed included the personal details of almost three billion Americans. If confirmed by an ongoing court case, the breach would be one of the largest of its kind in history.
Plaintiff Christopher Hoffmann, a California resident, revealed in the suit that he received a notification on July 24 that his data was exposed in a breach. Hoffmann alleges that NPD is guilty of unjust enrichment and negligence.
The story comes after a similar data breach at Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS), a nationally licensed and bonded collection agency, exposed the personal information of millions of Americans – including social security numbers. The breach, which occurred on Valentine’s Day, 2024, was not discovered until February 26. Affected individuals were not notified until late April.
Initially, the breach was believed to impact 1.9 million individuals, but this number later increased to three million. The breach included sensitive data such as full names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and driver’s license numbers.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
In light of the breach, Americans are left wondering how they can protect their personal information – and while a lot of that data has already been accessed, there are still steps consumers can take to prevent identity theft. Experts suggest that placing a security freeze on your credit records using trusted companies like TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax is a good first step. A credit freeze restricts access to your credit reports, making it more difficult for potential identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
Users are also given a new personal identification number that must be entered to lift the freeze. It means that even in the event that hackers gain access to your personal information, they can’t use it unless they gain access to your pin.
Data breaches are becoming more common, and it’s more important than ever for Americans to protect themselves.
In 2023, 3,205 data compromises were recorded, a 78% increase over 2022, indicating a growing threat landscape. While the number of ID theft victims decreased by 16% over the same period, the sheer volume of affected individuals in the millions underscores the urgency of preventive measures.
James E. Lee, the Chief Operating Officer of the Identity Theft Resource Center, said that consumers need to be better prepared for new breaches.
"That's a problem and that creates risk for other businesses who could be attacked in a similar fashion and consumers who need to know how to protect themselves," Lee told USA Today.
The news underscores the importance of Americans protecting their personal data at a time when their online personal records are more vulnerable than ever.
A report from Bloomberg described how the cybercriminal hacking group USDoD published a database on a dark web forum that they claimed included the personal details of almost three billion Americans. If confirmed by an ongoing court case, the breach would be one of the largest of its kind in history.
Plaintiff Christopher Hoffmann, a California resident, revealed in the suit that he received a notification on July 24 that his data was exposed in a breach. Hoffmann alleges that NPD is guilty of unjust enrichment and negligence.
The story comes after a similar data breach at Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS), a nationally licensed and bonded collection agency, exposed the personal information of millions of Americans – including social security numbers. The breach, which occurred on Valentine’s Day, 2024, was not discovered until February 26. Affected individuals were not notified until late April.
Initially, the breach was believed to impact 1.9 million individuals, but this number later increased to three million. The breach included sensitive data such as full names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and driver’s license numbers.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
In light of the breach, Americans are left wondering how they can protect their personal information – and while a lot of that data has already been accessed, there are still steps consumers can take to prevent identity theft. Experts suggest that placing a security freeze on your credit records using trusted companies like TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax is a good first step. A credit freeze restricts access to your credit reports, making it more difficult for potential identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
Users are also given a new personal identification number that must be entered to lift the freeze. It means that even in the event that hackers gain access to your personal information, they can’t use it unless they gain access to your pin.
Data breaches are becoming more common, and it’s more important than ever for Americans to protect themselves.
In 2023, 3,205 data compromises were recorded, a 78% increase over 2022, indicating a growing threat landscape. While the number of ID theft victims decreased by 16% over the same period, the sheer volume of affected individuals in the millions underscores the urgency of preventive measures.
James E. Lee, the Chief Operating Officer of the Identity Theft Resource Center, said that consumers need to be better prepared for new breaches.
"That's a problem and that creates risk for other businesses who could be attacked in a similar fashion and consumers who need to know how to protect themselves," Lee told USA Today.
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