ORLANDO, Fla. — Millions of Social Security numbers could be compromised.
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A hack into a Florida-based national public data network revealed that more than 2.9 billion records may have been exposed, according to court documents.
In a statement on its website, the company acknowledged the breach and said it was cooperating with authorities.
As a precaution, cybersecurity experts say all Americans need to take steps now to protect themselves.
What’s concerning is how large this data breach was, and how much personal information the hackers were able to find in just one place.
National Public Data is a background check company that is also used by businesses and governments.
9 Investigates spoke with Jon Taylor of Orlando-based Fortress Information Security about the extent of this impact, and he pointed us to public sites such as npd.pentester.com where you can check if your information has been compromised.
So if you search your name, you’ll see how much information about you is exposed: your date of birth, past addresses, phone numbers, and even your Social Security number.
The data goes back decades.
“All the addresses I’ve lived at since I was a child,” Taylor said, looking at the published data.
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He said all of this information was leaked in a breach of the national public data network and posted on the dark web.
Cybersecurity experts have warned that the breach could make it much easier for criminals to hack.
“Because with the NPD breach, all of the information is now in one area. Now the hackers go out and say, here’s my information. Here’s what I need to call. They have my old address. They have my Social Security number,” Taylor said.
This information could be the key that allows hackers to open a line of credit.
Taylor says credit monitoring alone isn’t enough at this point.
He said the breach meant Americans needed to take further steps, such as signing up for identity theft protection services like LifeLock.
He also recommends freezing your credit report with all three major credit reporting bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — but you’ll need to lift the freeze if you choose to open a new line of credit.
“It’s a hassle. It’s an extra step. But the reality is that information is so easily available now. It has to stop. It has to stop somewhere,” Taylor said. “I would hate to open an account and find out after the balance is $45,000.”
The question now is how federal and state lawmakers will respond to ensure Americans’ information is safe.
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Taylor said there is no regulation or oversight of companies like National Public Data that collect personal information.
On top of that, we still rely on our Social Security numbers to prove our identity.
“It’s just not a valid way to identify that person,” Taylor said, “and I think we need to stop using it as an identification tool and stop it immediately.”
Taylor also said people should think about the security questions they answer when setting up their accounts.
Common questions include where were you born and what is your mother’s maiden name.
Given all the recent breaches, these questions could easily be answered by hackers.
If you have the option to choose questions, choose questions that only you know the answer to.
Taylor suggested making up an answer to stay even safer.
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