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2.7 billion records leaked in massive US data breach
Fox News
More than 2.7 billion U.S. personal records, including Social Security numbers, were leaked on a hacking forum. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what you need to know.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
Bleeping Computer reported that the database was posted on the criminal forum Breachforums, where threat actors often post such leaks. What’s interesting is that the stolen database was up for free download. The user who posted it credited a hacker named "SXUL," saying, "There’s a new player in town." Usually, hackers sell leaked databases like this one for huge sums.
The database has been stolen from NPD, which collects data from public sources to compile individual user profiles for people in the U.S. and other countries. NPD then sells this private data to all kinds of organizations, such as background check websites, investigators, app developers and data resellers.