Every American's Social Security number, address may have been stolen in hack

[jeff of pa]

Every Social Security Number, Phone & Address Just Leaked On The Internet! 2.6 Billion Total​

 

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[Chilli]

Every Social Security Number, Phone & Address Just Leaked On The Internet! 2.6 Billion Total​

This is getting bad. Its happening in my country and they are trying to keep it under wraps. Hacks and leaks on the Dark Web. It's getting out of control.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

2.6 billion? What countries are included?

 

[ticndig]

well with that # of people effected maybe they won't get around to me.

 

[jeff of pa]

I Think only the US Has SS Numbers

There Are Probably a few Dead Peoples Numbers in there Also.

I Would Hope if they Find me , They will either Laugh Or Feel sorry for Me

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

No wonder we can't fund social security. 340 million Americans are supposed to support themselves, the gov AND 2.6 billion recipients?

 

[Red-Coat]

The data relates primarily to American citizens but also includes some citizens of Canada and the UK. Although 2.7 billion records were stolen (the hackers initially claimed 2.9 billion), there are many duplicates (including possible aliases) as well as historic records for deceased people. There are multiple entries for many of the individuals, with separate records for each address where they have lived. The total number of living people whose data has been stolen is not yet known, but likely includes every US citizen who has a Social Security number.

The holder of the data (Jerico Pictures, Inc., doing business as National Public Data) obtained it legitimately from public sources, so the ‘breach’ more relates to the benefit that they have compiled it into a single database for ease of use rather than it being data that couldn’t be found elsewhere (at least in America). NPD are ‘data brokers’ who earn income by providing background checks for employers, investigators and other businesses. The data also includes criminal records.

UK citizens are less ‘exposed’ than those in America since we have stricter data protection laws and privacy laws. In the UK, your data can only be legally harvested if you actively ‘opt in’ to permit it and there is also protection against data being shared. In America, only 18 states have enacted any kind of privacy laws and the general default is that your data can be legally harvested unless you actively opt out.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Until we exceed the 9 digit limit there can only be 999,999,999 numbers ( or plus zero ) .... when that happens will we recycle them or add a digit? Plan your next childbirth to win the One billionth customer prize !

Seems the press has been fast and loose with terminology, yet again.