Massive Data Breach Exposes Billions of Social Security Numbers: What You Need to Know

Data Breach Exposes Billions of Social Security and Address Records

A potential breach of a major background check site has exposed billions of Social Security numbers and address records, affecting individuals across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Security experts have raised alarms about the severity of this breach, which has been the subject of significant activity on hacking forums.

The source of the data is believed to be National Public Data (NPD), a company known for its data scraping practices. The initial sale of this sensitive information was reportedly priced at $3.5 million, but has since been distributed freely on various hacker forums, amplifying the potential impact on affected individuals.

The unencrypted cache contains a wealth of personal information, including names, Social Security numbers, addresses, and aliases. Tech news site Bleeping Computer has verified the accuracy of some of the exposed data, though discrepancies in current residence information have been noted. The breach is particularly concerning due to the inclusion of multiple address records linked to individuals, potentially spanning their entire residential history.

In response to this massive data exposure, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against Jerico Pictures/National Public Data. The company has yet to respond to inquiries and claims to have purged its database, leaving many questions unanswered.

Cybersecurity experts advise individuals who suspect their data may have been compromised to take immediate action, including freezing their credit cards as a precautionary measure. This breach follows other recent high-profile incidents involving popular dating apps Bumble and Hinge, highlighting the ongoing challenges in safeguarding personal data in the digital age.

As investigations continue, the full extent of this historic breach and its long-term implications for affected individuals remain to be seen.