A breach of National Public Data’s servers has exposed an untold amount of data, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity measures.

This month, numerous readers alerted us to receive notifications that their Social Security Number, along with identity, address, and other personal details, had been exposed in a breach at a lesser-known but fittingly named client data vendor called Experian. The recent publication sheds light on the aftermath of a significant data breach, which resulted in the exposure of millions of customers’ personal details.

We’ll delve deeper into the backstory of the data broker that was breached, a company founded by an actor and a former sheriff’s deputy from Florida.

On July 21, 2024, individuals allegedly connected to the cybercrime underworld released over 4 terabytes of data, which they purportedly obtained from nationalpublicdata.com, a Florida-based organization specializing in consumer information aggregation and background check processing.

The breach monitoring service and the cybercrime-focused Twitter account have confirmed that the leaked information matches data initially published for sale on the dark web in April 2024 by the notorious cybercriminal alias “.

On April 7, the US Department of Defense (USDoD) allegedly posted a massive data dump on Breachforums, boasting a gross sales thread featuring 4 terabytes of compromised information – specifically, 2.9 billion rows of sensitive data allegedly sourced from nationalpublicdata.com. The fragments of pilfered data provided by the US Department of Defense as previews revealed lists of individuals’ identities, including their names, residential addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security Numbers. Their asking worth? $3.5 million.

Multiple media outlets inaccurately reported that the Nationwide Public Information breach affected 2.9 billion individuals, a figure that actually refers to the number of records in the leaked data units. The website HaveIBeenOwned.com aggregates a substantial yet varied collection of consumer and corporate data, including real names, home and business addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers of millions of individuals – both living and deceased – as well as extracting 70 million rows from a database of U.S. legal information.

According to Hunt, the analysis revealed a staggering 137 million unique email addresses within the leaked data, yet he expressed puzzlement that none of the email addresses found contained Social Security Number (SSN) information.

“When you discover yourself among the affected individuals listed on HaveIBeenPwned.com, rest assured that without explicit confirmation, it’s uncertain whether your Social Security number was actually compromised. Moreover, for those who find themselves in a similar situation as myself, the data following your identification may be incomplete or inaccurate.”

National Public Data.com has publicly disclosed a breach, stating: “We’ve experienced a knowledge safety incident that has compromised some personal information.” The attempted hacking incident appears to involve an unauthorised third party targeting sensitive data in late December 2023, with potential compromises expected in both April 2024 and summer 2024.

The corporation noted that the compromised knowledge included identifying information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and mailing addresses.

“We collaborated with law enforcement agencies and government investigators, conducted an assessment of potentially impacted data, and will endeavour to notify you of any significant updates or further developments affecting your interests.” “We have implemented further enhanced safety measures to prevent any future breaches from recurring and to safeguard our systems.”

The Hunt’s evaluation failed to specify the exact number of unique Social Security numbers involved in the leaked data. According to researchers at , the comprehensive dataset contains a staggering 272 million unique Social Security Numbers (SSNs).

According to Atlas’ findings, the majority of identified information possessed a reputation, Social Security Number (SSN), and residential address, with approximately 26 percent of these records featuring a corresponding phone number. Atlas confirmed that they had verified over 5,000 address and phone number combinations, specifically identifying data related to individuals born prior to January. In most cases, throughout the year 2002 (with only a few exceptions)?

While the breach is a dire consequence, it has an unexpected advantage: Atlas discovered that numerous records linked to individuals whose identities have been irreparably compromised. They found that the typical age of buyers in this dataset was 70, with astonishingly, over two million records linked to individuals whose birthdates would make them older than 120 years old if they were alive today.

TWISTED HISTORY

Nationwide Public Knowledge allegedly obtained its client list through a publicly available directory. Although the corporation’s website remains silent on the matter, a closer look reveals that the entity responsible for its operations is actually headquartered in Coral Springs, Florida. The website for Jerico Footage is currently unavailable. Notwithstanding its presence as a movie studio with offices in both Los Angeles and South Florida.

According to reports, footage of Jérico, Florida, is claimed to be owned by a retired deputy from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. The Secretary of State remarks that Mr. Verini was a pioneering figure in the establishment of numerous Florida-based corporations, partnering with prominent entities including, but not limited to, these notable individuals.

Mr. Verini failed to respond to multiple requests for comment. Cached copies of Mr. Are renowned for their uncanny ability to bring characters to life through masterful vocal performances, leveraging years of experience and a keen understanding of tone, cadence, and emotional depth to transport listeners into the heart of any narrative. Having had a stint in an Eighties detective drama alongside Burt Reynolds, and more recently, producing documentaries and dramatic series for various streaming platforms.

Analyzing email handles registered for the self-important domain reveals a range of distinct domains whose historical context provides a more nuanced understanding of the types of information sources utilized by National Public Information, with implications for its credibility and reliability.

A type of domain is, previously known as a company that advertised “immediate background checks, SSN traces, staff screening, and more.” Another now-defunct enterprise associated with Mr. Verini’s email claimed that it acquired client data from a broad spectrum of sources, including but not limited to: demographic information related to delivery, marriage, and death; electoral records; professional licensure details; and state and federal court filings.

The exact origin of the compromised data at Nationwide Public Knowledge remains uncertain. The US Department of Defense (USDoD) was approached by KrebsOnSecurity regarding its capacity to facilitate information sharing about cyber and physical threats with vetted individuals in the private sector, a capability for which it is perhaps best known.

The US Department of Defense confirmed that they acquired the same data set that was leaked on Breachforums earlier this month; however, they stated that the individual who leaked the information did not obtain it from their organization. The US Department of Defense (DoD) disclosed that the information compromised from Nationwide Public Knowledge had been previously traded on the dark web multiple times, as it was originally stolen in December 2023.

The Pentagon revealed that the database had been in existence for an extended period. “I was initially not the go-to person for understanding.”

The US Department of Defense (DoD) revealed that the individual responsible for the initial data theft from Norway’s Petroleum Directorate (NPD) was a notorious hacker operating under the moniker. It appears that the individual had terminated their Telegram account several days prior, likely due to heightened media scrutiny surrounding the data breach.

ANALYSIS

Knowledge brokers such as Nationwide Public Knowledge gather information by scrutinizing federal, state, and local government data sources. Public records datasets comprise detailed information on voting registration, property ownership, marriages, vehicular registrations, legal proceedings, court documents, mortality statistics, professional certifications, bankruptcy filings, and a wide range of other essential data points.

Individuals should be able to envision a scenario where they have control over selecting which data is collected and deciding who gets access to it. According to consultants, public data sources are carved out from individual state privacy laws for each single client. California’s privacy regime, widely regarded as the national benchmark for state privacy laws,

In America, anyone can become a client information dealer, regardless of background or experience. In most cases, brokers are not obligated to demonstrate a genuine commitment to protecting the sensitive data they collect, store, and resell with reckless abandon?

In February 2023, information broker clients – primarily homeowners searching for background data through these companies – were targeted by the info brokers themselves, who ran background checks on behalf of their customers. Uncovered was a treasure trove of personal data, comprising email addresses, hashed passwords, individuals’ full names, and phone numbers.

In 2019, a group of malicious hackers compromised a San Francisco-based information brokerage firm, exploiting its databases to link hundreds of thousands of email addresses, LinkedIn profiles, and over 200 million legitimate mobile phone numbers.

Information brokers resemble colossal vessels navigating without GPS or anchorage, as their vulnerability to hacking can unleash devastating consequences, comparable to the catastrophic environmental and economic repercussions from a massive oil tanker disaster.

As the unprecedented spread of private data creates a perpetual ripple effect, it’s only a matter of time before the consequences unfold over months and years, fueling an insatiable underground network of scammers poised to exploit this information for large-scale identity theft and account takeovers.

As it stands with data breaches, the true cost of cleaning up after an information spill can be staggering, much like real-life oil spills, where cleanup expenses and energy are immense, and consumers bear the brunt, either directly or indirectly?

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Are you worried about your sensitive personal data being exposed due to the breach, potentially including your Social Security number and other confidential information? That’s not crucial for those who have been following the recommendations here for years, as they’ve had ample opportunity to adapt and make necessary adjustments. When you place a freeze on your credit reports, it significantly hinders identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name, while also restricting access to your credit information.

I strongly advise freezing credit reports because identity thieves would likely assume that your identifying data is now readily available to them from multiple sources, given the numerous high-profile data breaches involving Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal details.

While some may argue that online retailers have gone too far in protecting themselves from fraudsters, there is a growing concern about the proliferation of cybercriminal enterprises that sell sensitive information, including full Social Security numbers and comprehensive background reports, on unsuspecting consumers. Companies operate utilizing compromised accounts from information brokers serving personal investigators and law enforcement officials, with some being fully automated through Telegram instant messaging bots. For Americans whose credit scores remain unfrozen, and who haven’t yet fallen victim to new account fraud, it’s likely only a matter of time before identity thieves turn their attention to them.

Once annually, all individuals are granted access to a free copy of their credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies, accessible online. Since 2023, consumers have enjoyed unlimited access to weekly free credit reports from each bureau, a perk previously capped at one report per year. For individuals who have yet to organize their files, now presents an excellent opportunity to do so.

The methods used to evaluate the stories are rigorous, scrutinizing each tale for potential flaws. The consequences of inaction are stark: identification theft and new account fraud will only exacerbate the problem if left unchecked.

Mr. Given Verini’s firm was involved in the lawsuit, it is unlikely that he didn’t respond to requests for comment due to this reason alone. While lawsuits following a significant data breach are all but unavoidable, they also have the unfortunate consequence of allowing regulatory bodies and lawmakers to sidestep accountability.

Following a significant data breach involving sensitive social security number (SSN) information, individuals are typically offered complimentary credit monitoring services. Frequently, companies originate from one of the three primary client credit score bureaus – the same entities that generate income by aggregating and marketing highly detailed profiles on consumers’ financial histories. Companies utilizing deceptive tactics to sell credit monitoring services, which provide the same protection as a freeze but still allow credit bureaus to share users’ data with affiliates.

While class-action lawsuits may prompt legal changes, they will not necessarily spark a comprehensive national conversation about what needs to evolve? Citizens today are afforded limited options for protecting themselves against the widespread non-public and financial surveillance, data collection, and trade that permeates our technology-driven society.

The data breach at Nationwide Public Knowledge was likely a significant incident, but its severity may be difficult to gauge without more detailed information. However, another alternative is readily available for this nation’s leaders to recognize that the Social Security Number (SSN) has utterly ceased to function effectively as a means of verification or validation. Using the proposed method initially is hardly a sound recommendation, and it’s ill-suited for this purpose altogether?

Until Congress acknowledges the necessity for privacy and data security laws that align with modern realities, these information brokers will continue to proliferate and thrive, ultimately becoming vulnerable targets for hackers seeking to exploit their digital treasure troves.

Buyers can now snag a complimentary credit score report from each of the three major consumer reporting bureaus on a biweekly basis, instead of being limited to just one annual review.