National Public Data Confirms Massive Data Breach, Millions Potentially Affected
National Public Data (NPD), a company specializing in reselling collected personal data for background checks, has confirmed a significant data breach that potentially exposed sensitive information of millions of individuals. The breach, which has been the subject of dark web forum discussions for months, includes names, Social Security numbers, physical addresses, and other personal data.
NPD recently published a Security Incident page on their website, acknowledging the breach but leaving many questions unanswered. According to the company, the incident is believed to have occurred in late December 2023, involving a third-party bad actor attempting to hack their data. Subsequent potential leaks of certain data were reported in April and summer of 2024.
The compromised information includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and mailing addresses. Reports suggest the leak may have involved 2.9 billion rows of data, though the exact number of affected individuals remains unclear. Troy Hunt, operator of Have I Been Pwned, noted inconsistencies in how the data links to specific individuals during his analysis.
In response to the breach, NPD states they have cooperated with law enforcement and governmental investigators and conducted a review of potentially affected records. The company promises to notify individuals if there are further significant developments but has not disclosed the number of affected people or offered any compensation to those whose information was leaked.
NPD’s website advises individuals to monitor their credit reports but provides no direct contact avenues for those seeking more information about the breach. The company’s response has raised concerns about transparency and the adequacy of measures taken to protect and inform affected individuals.
As investigations continue, the full impact of this data breach remains to be seen, highlighting ongoing challenges in data security and privacy in the digital age.
