National Public Data (NPD) is a data company that performs background checks for businesses and investigators. According to its website, the searches include criminal records, vital records, Social Security Number traces, and more. Despite its duty to protect confidential personal information, NPD recently announced a staggering breach of consumer data.
How did the NPD Breach Occur?
In late December 2023, a third-party hacker group known as USDoD attempted to infiltrate NPD’s systems, resulting in significant data exposure. Further leaks occurred in April 2024 and again in summer 2024. The hackers initially attempted to sell the data on the dark web for $3.5 million, but later released it for free. This makes the breach one of the largest and most concerning compromises to date.
Who has Been Impacted by the Data Breach?
The breach exposed approximately 2.9 billion records, including names, current and past addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers, and detailed information on relatives that date back at least three decades. Given that the United States has a population of roughly 330 million, it’s likely that millions of individuals, including deceased persons, have had their data compromised. However, due to the complexity of the records, such as individuals having multiple addresses over time, it remains difficult to pinpoint the exact number of people affected.
What is NPD Doing?
NPD has confirmed the data breach, though they are still working to identify all affected individuals. They have already sent breach notification letters to those they have identified so far, but it may take time to notify everyone impacted. In their response to the security breach, they stated they are “cooperating with law enforcement and governmental investigators and conducted a review of the potentially affected records and will try to notify you if there are significant developments applicable to you.”
What Should You Do?
This is one of the largest data breaches ever. With these breaches happening more frequently, one of the best practices to keep your personal information safe is to assume your data is out there and act accordingly.
- Credit Freeze: Preemptively freeze your credit report with each major credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing your account.
- Credit Monitoring: Regularly check your credit reports for any suspicious activity.
- Strengthen Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for your online accounts and enable multi-factor authentication.
- Stay Vigilant: Be cautious of phishing attempts and fraudulent communication from cyber-criminals.
- Contact an attorney: The data breach attorneys of Maginnis Howard can help you take action against NPD or any business that jeopardizes your personal information.
Many services can scan the dark web for your personal information. Make sure you use reputable companies to assess your exposure. Service providers such as Google can scan the dark web to find out what information is out there, but it may not be specific to the NPD breach. The company Pentester offers to search for your information in the breached National Public Data files.
Contact Us
If you suspect your data has been compromised due to the NPD breach, our experienced data breach attorneys can help you pursue fair compensation. Keeping your personal information secure is vital, and navigating your legal rights may require guidance. Maginnis Howard has three offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Fayetteville. To speak with an intake specialist, visit our contact page or submit an inquiry through our Live Chat feature. You may also call us at (919) 526-0450. We accept clients across the Carolinas.
