CitizenVectron Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of every American. Here's how to protect yourself WWW.LATIMES.COM In an epic data breach, hackers claim to have taken 2.9 billion personal records from National Public Data. Most of the data are leaked online. Quote About four months after a notorious hacking group claimed to have stolen an extraordinary amount of sensitive personal information from a major data broker, a member of the group has reportedly released most of it for free on an online marketplace for stolen personal data. The breach, which includes Social Security numbers and other sensitive data, could power a raft of identity theft, fraud and other crimes, said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the U.S. Public Information Research Group. Quote According to a class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the hacking group USDoD claimed in April to have stolen personal records of 2.9 billion people from National Public Data, which offers personal information to employers, private investigators, staffing agencies and others doing background checks. Quote The information consists of about 2.7 billion records, each of which includes a person’s full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and phone number, along with alternate names and birth dates, Felice claimed. The weirdest ‘3 billion people’ data breach ever - The Verge WWW.THEVERGE.COM This data leak is large, but is it legit? However, apparently 80%+ of this data was already previously hacked and released, so might not have a giant impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chakoo Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaljedi Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Maybe the problem is actually the fact that data brokers can legally have this data on every single American without the accountability of the government. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 5 minutes ago, finaljedi said: Maybe the problem is actually the fact that data brokers can legally have this data on every single American without the accountability of the government. My friend you consented to all of this the one time you signed up for a free AOL trial in 2001 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TUFKAK Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Guess I need to lock my ssn again, kinda hard to do it from here though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclumber1 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Maybe a person's SSN shouldn't be a means of identification outside of actual social security? Why does my credit card company or my health care provider need this information? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaljedi Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 9 minutes ago, mclumber1 said: Maybe a person's SSN shouldn't be a means of identification outside of actual social security? Why does my credit card company or my health care provider need this information? If it wasn't that it would be something else. It just works as a unique way to identify everyone so they can be indexed in a database that is one email link away from being scraped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawn_of_Apathy Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Don’t worry, I’m sure there’s legislation already protecting these data brokers from liability. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbob42 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 As long as all the data brokers are publicly executed, all will be forgiven. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chakoo Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Information like this shouldn't be left to the free market to manage. This should be government-controlled, operated and regulated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spork3245 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 1 minute ago, chakoo said: Information like this shouldn't be left to the free market to manage. This should be government-controlled, operated and regulated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 1 minute ago, chakoo said: Information like this shouldn't be left to the free market to manage. This should be government-controlled, operated and regulated. Everything is for sale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slug Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 6 minutes ago, chakoo said: Information like this shouldn't be left to the free market to manage. This should be government-controlled, operated and regulated. I'm not sure that would protect it any better, from a data security standpoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mclumber1 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 8 minutes ago, Slug said: I'm not sure that would protect it any better, from a data security standpoint. It would reduce how SSNs could be abused by people with ill-intent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaljedi Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 29 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said: My friend you consented to all of this the one time you signed up for a free AOL trial in 2001 This is why I just didn't care about anything about "China getting all your data" with TikTok and whatnot. There are already many companies no one has ever heard of that has everything anyone could possibly want to know about everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 47 minutes ago, chakoo said: Information like this shouldn't be left to the free market to manage. This should be government-controlled, operated and regulated. Free to you, federal government issued photoless IDs that get reissued, automatically every three or so years with a new federal ID number attached to a history of your previous IDs. If we're going to be stuck with debt being tied to some government-issued identification, then I'd prefer it if you get a new number ever few years and new debt can only be assigned to the new ID. Just make the old ID fine for tracking old debt, but useless for obtaining new debt. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chakoo Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 29 minutes ago, Slug said: I'm not sure that would protect it any better, from a data security standpoint. It would reduce the overreliance on specific parts of your data (like SSN) as a piece to validate you as being you. It would also allow for the government to control what information is given out based on the nature of your request. A data broker's whole point/goal is to collect as much data on you to share with whoever is willing to pay to get access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 The problem is with the SSN being used as both the username and the password. Originally it was only the username, and only for getting your Social Security benefits. When it was new people would get a tattoo of their SSN so they couldn't forget it. You can't have a "secret number" that you also have to hand out willy nilly. The DoD is especially bad about this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 12 minutes ago, Ghost_MH said: Free to you, federal government issued photoless IDs that get reissued, automatically every three or so years with a new federal ID number attached to a history of your previous IDs. If we're going to be stuck with debt being tied to some government-issued identification, then I'd prefer it if you get a new number ever few years and new debt can only be assigned to the new ID. Just make the old ID fine for tracking old debt, but useless for obtaining new debt. And you could use it for voting, but that wouldn’t allow republicans to suppress the vote as easily so I’m sure it’s impossible to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinIon Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Freeze your credit if you haven't already done so. It used to be a cumbersome process to freeze and unfreeze when necessary, but now it's pretty easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slug Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 3 hours ago, chakoo said: It would reduce the overreliance on specific parts of your data (like SSN) as a piece to validate you as being you. It would also allow for the government to control what information is given out based on the nature of your request. A data broker's whole point/goal is to collect as much data on you to share with whoever is willing to pay to get access. ....ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStar189 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 3 hours ago, TwinIon said: Freeze your credit if you haven't already done so. It used to be a cumbersome process to freeze and unfreeze when necessary, but now it's pretty easy. Yeah I’m going to do this tonight. I’m not sure if everyone here saw the link in the article but you can put in your name, state, and birth year and it will show you if your info has been compromised. My current address and former address come up along with my phone numbers, date of birth, and ssn. I definitely need to freeze my credit tonight. NPD Breach Check - Pentester.com NPD.PENTESTER.COM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cusideabelincoln Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 33 minutes ago, DarkStar189 said: Yeah I’m going to do this tonight. I’m not sure if everyone here saw the link in the article but you can put in your name, state, and birth year and it will show you if your info has been compromised. My current address and former address come up along with my phone numbers, date of birth, and ssn. I definitely need to freeze my credit tonight. NPD Breach Check - Pentester.com NPD.PENTESTER.COM Somehow I'm not on the list, but the rest of my family is with multiple entries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3xB0t Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 What can one do other than freeze credit? I’ve gotten so many “You’ve been pwned” notifications over the last few years. My credit is frozen, as is my wife’s. Other than 2FA and using a password manager I don’t know that we could be any more secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 1 hour ago, DarkStar189 said: Yeah I’m going to do this tonight. I’m not sure if everyone here saw the link in the article but you can put in your name, state, and birth year and it will show you if your info has been compromised. My current address and former address come up along with my phone numbers, date of birth, and ssn. I definitely need to freeze my credit tonight. NPD Breach Check - Pentester.com NPD.PENTESTER.COM I'm on this like 15 times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStar189 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 46 minutes ago, S3xB0t said: What can one do other than freeze credit? I’ve gotten so many “You’ve been pwned” notifications over the last few years. My credit is frozen, as is my wife’s. Other than 2FA and using a password manager I don’t know that we could be any more secure. Freezing your credit is about all you can do and just hope you don’t get targeted. Since all this info is out there, the biggest concern would be bank employees falling for a scammer claiming to be you and handing them over the keys to your money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 1 minute ago, DarkStar189 said: Freezing your credit is about all you can do and just hope you don’t get targeted. Since all this info is out there, the biggest concern would be bank employees falling for a scammer claiming to be you and handing them over the keys to your money. Suckas. My financial advisor has all my money and they don't know who she/he/they are! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStar189 Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 1 minute ago, SuperSpreader said: I'm on this like 15 times Just feels shitty to know that I’ve most likely done everything right in protecting myself. But some company somewhere drops the ball anyway. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TUFKAK Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Self Lock WWW.E-VERIFY.GOV 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaljedi Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 23 hours ago, DarkStar189 said: Yeah I’m going to do this tonight. I’m not sure if everyone here saw the link in the article but you can put in your name, state, and birth year and it will show you if your info has been compromised. My current address and former address come up along with my phone numbers, date of birth, and ssn. I definitely need to freeze my credit tonight. NPD Breach Check - Pentester.com NPD.PENTESTER.COM It has my childhood address and that's not the last two of my social. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStar189 Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 3 hours ago, finaljedi said: It has my childhood address and that's not the last two of my social. That’s strange. I searched my parents. Has nothing on my mom but has all 3 houses that my dad had bought over the last 40 years…along with all the other info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3xB0t Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 On 8/15/2024 at 4:00 PM, DarkStar189 said: Yeah I’m going to do this tonight. I’m not sure if everyone here saw the link in the article but you can put in your name, state, and birth year and it will show you if your info has been compromised. My current address and former address come up along with my phone numbers, date of birth, and ssn. I definitely need to freeze my credit tonight. NPD Breach Check - Pentester.com NPD.PENTESTER.COM Two people who share my first and last name came up, but I did not. I am sure my info is out there, though, based solely on the number of official notices I’ve received in the mail and You’ve Been Pwned emails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outsida Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 On 8/15/2024 at 4:00 PM, DarkStar189 said: Yeah I’m going to do this tonight. I’m not sure if everyone here saw the link in the article but you can put in your name, state, and birth year and it will show you if your info has been compromised. My current address and former address come up along with my phone numbers, date of birth, and ssn. I definitely need to freeze my credit tonight. NPD Breach Check - Pentester.com NPD.PENTESTER.COM Not on the list, having family on the list lock their credit report Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 I also just froze my credit with all three bureaus and will contact my sister and mother tomorrow to let them know that they're on the list. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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