Massive Data Breach Exposes Billions of Personal Records in North America and the UK

In a startling revelation, over 2.9 billion personal records have been compromised in one of the largest data breaches in recent history. The affected records, which span across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, were allegedly accessed and stolen by the hacker group known as USDoD. The breach occurred in April when USDoD allegedly targeted National Public Data, a Florida-based company that specializes in providing background checks and criminal records.

This service is widely used by private investigators, staffing agencies, and human resources departments under its parent company, Jerico Pictures, Inc. USDoD has claimed responsibility for the hack, stating they have obtained complete records for every individual in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. In a move that underscores the severity of this breach, the group has listed the entire database for sale on the dark web, pricing the trove of stolen data at $3.5 million. The compromised data includes a vast array of personal information, with almost 2.7 billion records in plaintext. This includes names, mailing addresses, social security numbers, and additional sensitive details, posing a significant risk of identity theft and fraud for millions of individuals. As of now, National Public Data has not officially confirmed the breach. However, the company has issued a statement acknowledging the situation, noting, “We are aware of certain third-party claims about consumer data and are investigating these issues.” This breach highlights a growing concern over data security and the protection of personal information in the digital age.

If you believe your information has been compromised here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.

• Make sure your antivirus is up to date and perform security scans on all your devices. If you find malware, most antivirus programs should be able to remove it, but in some cases you may need professional help.
• Update your passwords for bank accounts, email accounts and other services you use, and make sure they are strong and different for every account. Include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation marks, and never use personal information that a hacker could guess.
• Use multifactor authentication for any accounts or services that offer it to ensure you are the person logging in.
• Check your credit report, and report any unauthorized use of of your credit cards. If you notice any suspicious activity, you can ask credit bureaus to freeze your credit.
• Be careful with your email and social media accounts, and beware of phishing, an attempt to get your personal information by misrepresenting who a message or email is from.