The social security number of every American may have been compromised in a massive cybersecurity breach that could threaten the identity of all citizens.
The hacking group USDoD claims that they’ve leaked 2.7 billion personal information records, including social security numbers, full names, and home addresses from a data broker called National Public Data (NPD).
Related: Hack Exposes 10 Billion Passwords, Largest Leak in History
NPD is a background check agency that gives sensitive personal information to potential employers and staffing agencies during screening processes, as well as private investigators.
According to a class action lawsuit, NPD obtained the data without consent, and the breach occurred sometime in April 2024.
The lawsuit alleges that “upon information and belief” USDoD was “able to exfiltrate the unencrypted PII of billions of individuals” and that the personal information was “published, offered for sale and sold on the Dark Web by cybercriminals.”
According to BleepingComputer, the data was leaked for $3.5 million.
How do I know if I was hacked?
There are several ways to check if you’ve had your personal information leaked.
First, monitor your credit reports and look for unauthorized or fraudulent activity, including opening new bank accounts, credit cards, or large withdrawals.
Related: Mark Cuban Issues Warning After His Google Account Is Hacked
If you receive notice from a debt collector or notice fraudulent activity, contact your financial institutions and law enforcement.
Also, be the first to initiate calls (meaning if you get a call, tell them you’ll call back), and don’t give out your social security number.
