Equifax Breach

[willie33]

Equifax breach exposed data for 143 million consumers


Equifax breach exposed data for 143 million consumers
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Last Updated Sep 7, 2017 10:24 PM EDT

Credit monitor Equifax said Thursday that hackers have gained access to personal information belonging to 143 million U.S. consumers after exploiting a vulnerability on the company's website. Now the unwitting victims have to worry about the threat of having their identities stolen.

The high-tech heist occurred between mid-May and July, according to Equifax (EFX), one of the nation's biggest credit bureaus. The leaked information includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and in some cases driver's license numbers.  

CBS News has confirmed the FBI is looking into the breach. 

Credit card numbers for about 209,000 consumers and documents related to credit reporting disputes for 182,000 people also were exposed, Equifax said, adding that hackers also accessed some information from British and Canadian consumers. The company doesn't think residents of other countries were affected.

"The motives for hacking can be very different with each incident, but tend to be concentrated on disruption or financial gain," said Kris Monaco, managing partner at Level ETF Ventures. "Credit card and personal data are the lifeblood of every hacking scheme, so criminals were obviously focusing on a rich target like Equifax."

Equifax said it found no evidence of unauthorized activity on the company's core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases. It discovered the intrusion on July 29 and acted immediately to stop it, the company said. 

Equifax also said it alerted law enforcement about the cyberattack. And it has set up a special website where people can check to see if their personal information may have been stolen. Consumers can also call 866-447-7559 for more information. 

Personal finance experts warned consumers who may have been affected by the hack to be on their guard.

[Charon]

Equifax was also compromised in March i believe.

But they are blithering idiots. I spent hours trying to get my free credit reports, an annual thing, from all three credit bureaus. Equifax, as do the others, ask you a series of questions. They wont let you talk to a person. No matter what.

Some rat bastard took out a loan for a vehicle in 2013. When i left old LLs house. Problem is, I don't know which bank cuz i did not do it. Nor do i know the exact monthly payments.

So, the thief of my credit gets off the hook. My medical doctor sister tracked down someone whom stole five thousand from her. FTC said whom cares? When I got all evidence together of my credit being used when i was wealthy, Federal Trade Commission said: lady, we don't care if your sister signs your name. Or anyone else. We have way too much identity theft to be concerned about you.

As a company, they suck. I should have been able to speak to a fraud rep to explain i shall never know the bank used nor the amt paid monthly, cuz i did not do it. Argh.

Maybe that phone number will help me get thru to a live person. Cuz this is maddening.

Oh, be careful with Lifelock. They say if u pay for them, they will spend $1 million in clearing up ur credit. However, lifelock was way too confident when they started in business. They put their SS# on the side of their trucks. In all their commercials. They got hacked.

Thank u, Ms. Willie. Maybe i can speak to a live person whom will understand that only the hacker of my credit would have the bank info and the monthly car payment. Grrrr.

[Charon]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-...ost&wpmk=1

Equifax suffered another major breach before the massive data breach disclosed earlier this month, the company confirmed Monday, revealing yet again the vulnerability of the credit agency's computer systems.

The earlier breach, first reported by Bloomberg, was discovered by Equifax in March. But the company said that the earlier intrusion was unrelated to the breach that may have impacted as many as 143 million people, which the company discovered in July but did not disclose until six weeks later.

[Why it can take so long for companies to reveal their data breaches]

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“Equifax complied fully with all consumer notification requirements related to the March incident,” Equifax said in a statement. “The two events are not related.”

Equifax did not offer any details about the information that may have been stolen, or how many people may have been affected. It's possible the hackers behind the March attack were seeking a way into the networks of major banks, using Equifax as a point of entry, according to Bloomberg. In both incidents, the company hired the cybersecurity firm Mandiant to investigate.


The disclosure of a second major breach is likely to spark intensified scrutiny from consumers and lawmakers, who have already expressed frustration over the company's security lapses and its handling of events after the July breach was made public. At least two congressional hearings are slated for the coming weeks. And Equifax faces multiple federal investigations on the breach as well as over reports that executives sold an unusual amount stock before the July hack was disclosed. Last week, two officials responsible for Equifax's security and information technology abruptly retired.

Read more:

Two Equifax executives will retire following massive data breach

The FTC is investigating the Equifax breach. Here’s why that’s a big deal.

I called Equifax with a simple question. This is what happened.

[Charon]

yeah, i did read in the free washington post i get in email, two lines of news, that people are more upset now. equifax does not give a damn.

i just called. i got a human. omg. hope was rising. but, nope, they cannot/will not send me a copy of my credit report.

they have no info bases at the Hot Line they provided. The rats. Seriously, if some jerk took out a loan from xx bank, for xx dollars per month, and i, the owner of the social security number, wants to know about that, and get my free annual report, its beyond me why they just say NO. You are NOt you. Curious and curiouser.