You might not be familiar with National Public Data, but your personal information could have been compromised in a recent major data breach involving the company.
This background check firm, owned by Jerico Pictures Inc., disclosed details of the breach following a proposed class action lawsuit that claimed up to 2.9 billion personal records might have been exposed. Some reports even suggest the number of leaked records could exceed 2.7 billion. According to a data breach notice filed in Maine, National Public Data reported that approximately 1.3 million records may have been compromised, as stated by James E. Lee, the Chief Operating Officer of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the risk of identity theft and breaches.
The breached data may have included Social Security numbers, names, email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses, according to National Public Data's website. The company stated that a third-party hacker might have accessed the data in December, with potential information leaks occurring in April and throughout the summer.
As cybersecurity experts examine the breached data, they are discovering that much of it is inaccurate and was already publicly accessible. Nonetheless, this breach in cyber security emphasizes how crucial it is to take proactive measures to safeguard your personal information. Here are some common questions consumers are asking now, along with the answers.
Who Was Affected
National Public Data is a background check company that collects information from legitimate sources or by scraping it from the internet. Since this data is often gathered informally, it can be obtained without the consumer's consent and may not be subject to certain regulations, leading to inaccuracies or outdated information.
Some information, like when you purchase a house or pay property taxes, is technically public record, explained Cliff Steinhauer, Director of Information Security and Engagement at The National Cybersecurity Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting cybersecurity awareness and education. Companies can collect and compile this publicly available data to create a profile of an individual, he added.
How to tell if you were affected
Some cybersecurity groups have created websites where individuals can check if their personal information was compromised. One of these sites, NPDBreach.com, allows users to search using their full name and zip code, Social Security number, or phone number. Another site, NPD.pentester.com, offers searches based on first name, last name, state, and birth year. Entering your name can give you an idea of what, if any, of your information has been shared. The encouraging news is that most individuals are finding the leaked data to be inaccurate.
What To Do Now
If you discover that your information is part of the breach, the steps you should take are pretty much the same for any Identity theft. Freezing your credit should be your top priority. Make sure to submit requests to each of the three major credit bureaus- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A credit freeze will help prevent unauthorized access to your records by malicious actors. However, remember that you will need to temporarily or permanently lift the freeze if you plan to apply for a new credit card, auto loan, or similar financial product.
When freezing your credit, MAKE SURE you are on the official websites of the credit bureaus, not fraudulent sites designed to steal your personal information. It's also important to update all your passwords, especially if you use the same ones across multiple sites. Ideally, enable multi-factor authentication for your accounts to enhance the security of your financial data. Avoid sharing personal information while connected to public internet networks.
This is why it's extremely important to make sure all your client's data is locked down like Fort Knox. Let us at Cyber Protection Services assist you in making sure your data is secure. The world is changing and so too should your methods of cyber protection.
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