Abraham Jewett ย |ย  August 15, 2024

Category: Data Breach
Side view of a hooded hacker using a computer, representing the National Public Data data breach.
(Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com โ€“ Yuri A/Shutterstock)

National Public Data data breach overview:ย 

  • Who: A threat actor allegedly leaked nearly 2.7 billion public records containing personal information on the Breached hacking forum.ย 
  • Why: Hackers allegedly stole the information during a data breach involving National Public Data.
  • Where: The public records leak reportedly may affect every individual in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.ย 

A threat actor leaked nearly 2.7 billion public records containing personal information belonging to U.S., U.K. and Canadian citizens on a hacking forum earlier this month.ย 

The public records, which hackers allegedly stole during a data breach involving National Public Data, include names, Social Security numbers, physical addresses and other possible information, Bleeping Computer reports.

National Public Data reportedly collects and sells personal information to be used for conducting background checks, obtaining criminal records and helping with private investigations.ย 

The company, which uses the information it collects to create user profiles for individuals in the United States and other countries, believed to obtain the data by scraping it from public sources, according to Bleeping Computer.ย 

The leaked data reportedly includes two text files totaling 277GB and consisting of almost 2.7 billion plaintext records.ย 

Threat actors claim to have stolen record of every individual in US, UK, Canada

In April, a threat actor known as USDod reportedly claimed to have stolen 2.9 billion records containing information belonging to every individual in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada and attempted to sell the data for $3.5 million, Bleeping Computer reports.ย ย 

USDod was previously linked to trying to sell non-profit organization InfraGardโ€™s user database for $50,000 in December 2023, Bleeping Computer says.

Since USDodโ€™s claim, several threat actors reportedly released partial copies of the allegedly stolen data, with the leaks containing different numbers of records and, at times, data.ย 

A threat actor by the name โ€œFenice, โ€posted the latest leak on the Breached hacking forum, Bleeping Computer says. Fenice reportedly claims a threat actor known as โ€œSXUL,โ€ not USDod, obtained the data.ย 

Anyone who lives in the United States is likely affected in some way by the leak, according to Bleeping Computer, which reports the data contains hundreds of millions of Social Security numbers.ย 

Consumers filed several class actions recently against companies in the wake of data breaches, including Intuit, Ticketmaster, Live Nation and AT&T. The companies allegedly fail to prevent the data breaches by having proper security safeguards in place.ย 

Are you concerned your data was exposed in the National Public Data data breach? Let us know in the comments.


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73 thoughts onNational Public Data data breach reportedly affects everyone in US, UK, Canada

  1. Jon Miller says:

    As a cybersecurity professional with a decade of experience, I never thought Iโ€™d be saying this: Iโ€™ve become a victim of severe identity theft, and itโ€™s turned my world upside down.
    It started with a Dark Web leak of my old AT&T data. Then, boom โ€“ my SSN, DOB, and address were compromised. Now thereโ€™s a strangerโ€™s name on my credit report, using my SSN. Theyโ€™ve even changed my mailing address without my knowledge. The kicker? They used my own credit card to buy my credit report through my Experian account. The audacity is mind-blowing.
    Despite my industry knowledge and fortified home network (VPN, dedicated IPs, the works), I couldnโ€™t prevent this. Itโ€™s a stark reminder that if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.
    The real nightmare? Dealing with the aftermath. Siloed agencies, lack of coordination, and general cluelessness about cybersecurity make resolving this feel impossible. Itโ€™s not just a hassle โ€“ itโ€™s traumatizing.
    Weโ€™re not ready for whatโ€™s coming. Companies secretly exploiting our data for profit have created a ticking time bomb. Itโ€™s time for serious litigation and accountability.
    To fellow victims: Youโ€™re not alone. This violation goes beyond finances โ€“ it shakes your sense of security to the core.
    We need better protections, transparent practices, and a coordinated response to these threats. Our identities are more than data points โ€“ theyโ€™re the keys to our lives in the digital age. Itโ€™s time we treated them that way.

  2. Janice L Wyn says:

    I also got an email notice about my info being on the dark web also

  3. Bibby says:

    Iโ€™m very concerned, 2.9 Billion people!!!

  4. Alvin Armbruster says:

    I am concerned.

  5. Angelica Pittman says:

    Pls contact

  6. Tara Stevenson says:

    Please contact me

    1. Alicia Rainbolt says:

      I am concerned

  7. Scott Linman says:

    Iโ€™m looking for representation in the national public data ,data breach, as iv recently been the victim of fraud on several of my financial accounts.

    1. Janice L Wyn says:

      Iโ€™m very concerned and uneasy hearing of this :( so add me

      1. Janice L Wyn says:

        I also got an email notice about my info being on the dark web also

  8. Michelle funk says:

    I was notified by lifelock my indo was on the dark web because of this

  9. PEGGYSUE CORNWELL says:

    I WAS NOTIFIED THAT ALL OF MY PERSONAL INFO, SS, PHONES, FULL NAME, ADDRESS ETC. WERE FOUND ON THE DARK WEB A C OUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND SINCE AM GETTING SCAM CALLS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE ON MY SECOND PHONE LINE WHICH I GOT DUE TO SO MANY CALLS ON THE OLD ONE, NOW BOTH ARE COMPROMISED. I HAVE FROZEN ALL BUREAUS AND PLACED FRAUD ALERTS ON ALL AND A SECRET PASSWORD ON MY BANK ACCOUNT AND CHANGED MY OTHER PASSWORDS.

  10. ANNETTE says:

    Security of private info is gone forever. Settlement review needed

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