Lawsuit Filed Over NPD Data Breach: Check If You’re Affected

The lawsuit, filed on August 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, claims that the personal data, which includes sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, addresses, and more, was made available on the dark web in April. The hacking group responsible, identified as USDoD, reportedly put this data up for sale for a staggering $3.5 million.

The plaintiffs accuse NPD of negligence, failing to properly safeguard the data, and not informing affected individuals in a timely manner. The lead plaintiff, Christopher Hofmann, a California resident, mentioned that he only learned of the breach when his identity-theft protection service alerted him in July, several months after the breach had occurred.

NPD’s response

National Public Data has acknowledged the breach but has not provided specific details on the number of people affected. In a recent statement, NPD assured that they are working closely with law enforcement to investigate the issue and are taking steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. However, many criticize the company for its lack of transparency and slow response, leaving billions of individuals wondering whether their information has been compromised.

How to check if your data was breached

Cybersecurity experts advise everyone to check if their information has been compromised in light of the breach. Pentester, a cybersecurity firm, has developed a tool that allows individuals to search the leaked database. The available tool enables users to input their name, state, and year of birth to see if their data is part of the breach. While this tool provides a quick check, it’s important to note that not all data may be covered.

Protecting yourself moving forward

If you find that your information was compromised in this breach, or even if you suspect it might have been, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself:

• Freeze your credit: This is one of the most effective measures to prevent identity theft. By freezing your credit with the three major credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—you can stop unauthorized access to your credit file, making it much harder for someone to open new accounts in your name
• Set up fraud alerts: A fraud alert notifies potential creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account. This can provide an additional layer of protection
• Monitor your accounts: Regularly check your bank accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity. Early detection is key to preventing more significant issues
• Use two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication on all your important online accounts. This adds an extra security step, making it harder for hackers to gain access even if they have your password
• Stay vigilant: Look for phishing scams and other attempts to steal your information. Scammers may try to use this breach to trick you into giving them more details

The NPD data breach is a stark reminder of the importance of protecting personal information online. While the binding lawsuit against NPD may bring some accountability, individuals must take proactive steps to safeguard their data and identity in an increasingly digital world.