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A massive data leak has been revealed on a popular hacking forum, which has impacted around 2.7 billion people.
Names, addresses, online monikers, and even social security numbers have been detailed, with the information supposedly originating from National Public Data (NPD), a U.S. data broker that collates and sells the information for lawful purposes.
A minimum of four class action lawsuits have already been instigated against NPD in response to the alleged breach, with a press release from Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP providing further context.
The repository storing the personal data was compromised and then the information was put up for sale in April this year by a hacker group known as ‘USDod’. Following the breach, they claimed on the dark web that they had obtained the personal data of 2.9 billion people, with an asking price of $3.5 million to sell the database.
Due to the methods used by NPD to gather the information, Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe has warned: “Individuals may not even know that they have been affected”. At the time of writing, the data broker firm has not yet confirmed the breach, the extent of it, and what steps those impacted should take.
Another lawsuit has stated its signatories have been immediately exposed to a “heightened and imminent risk of fraud” due to the breach, adding they “must now and in the future closely monitor their financial accounts to guard against identity theft.”
Further Information on the Breach and Need for Vigilance
The 2.9 billion data portfolio was said to contain information belonging to every person in the U.S, Canada, and the U.K, followed up by a post on the Breached hacking forum on August 6. A user known as Fenice uploaded the most complete version of the stolen NPD data, for free.
Fenice stated the extensive data breach was the responsibility of a threat actor known as SXUL, not USDod, but further confirmed information is expected from NPD and the authorities.
This massive leak will have an impact on many people, so it would be advisable to pay extra attention to your bank accounts and financial affairs in the near future to guard against any fraudulent activity or identity theft.
