Massive Data Breach Exposes Billions of Records in US, UK, and Canada

A significant data breach has emerged, with approximately 2.7 billion records potentially containing sensitive personal information for individuals in the US, UK, and Canada. The data, allegedly originating from a company named National Public Data, includes social security numbers for US citizens and other personal details. This information is typically used in background checks by private investigators and similar entities.

According to Bleeping Computer, a hacker attempted to sell this data, initially reported to be 2.9 billion records, for $3.5 million. The hacker claimed that the breach encompasses records for every individual in the affected countries. The breach underscores serious concerns about the security of personal data and highlights the risks associated with the collection and sale of such information. 

The data leak involves two massive text files totaling 277GB, containing nearly 2.7 billion plaintext records. This is a decrease from the initial estimate of 2.9 billion records reported by the US Department of Defense. The leaked data includes sensitive personal details such as names, mailing addresses, and social security numbers. Some records also contain additional information, like alternative names associated with the individuals.

Bleeping Computer has received confirmations from several people, including those who are deceased, indicating that their personal information is included in the breach. Notably, none of this data is encrypted, further exacerbating the risk of misuse and identity theft.