In a brazen attack on law-abiding citizens, hackers have reportedly stolen billions of personal records, putting hardworking Americans at risk. The cyber gang, self-identified as ‘USDoD,’ claims to have swiped 2.7 billion files containing private details of individuals across North America and the UK.
National Public Data (NPD), a firm that manages information for background checks, appears to be the victim of this digital assault. The stolen data allegedly includes Social Security numbers and residential addresses of countless U.S. residents.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) of Florida, where a class-action lawsuit against NPD is unfolding, stated, “We must hold these companies accountable for protecting our citizens’ information.”
The hackers, flaunting their ill-gotten gains on underground forums, are asking a hefty $3.5 million for the purloined data. One forum user, going by ‘Fenice,’ hinted at more trouble ahead, warning of “a new player in town” with an even larger database to share.
Teresa Murray, representing the U.S. Public Information Research Group, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “This breach surpasses previous incidents in its potential for harm,” she cautioned. “It’s time for Americans to take serious precautions.”
While NPD has remained tight-lipped about the breach, they’ve reportedly told some inquiring individuals that they’re “investigating” claims about consumer data.
As this story develops, experts advise citizens to:
- Be wary of unexpected communications asking for personal details
- Regularly check bank and credit card statements for suspicious activity
- Use strong, unique passwords for all online accounts
This attack serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threats to our digital privacy and the need for robust national cybersecurity measures to protect American families.
