Equifax , one of the largest credit reporting agencies in the US , let on today that it has digest a massive data severance at the paw of hackers . The stolen data includes names , Social Security numbers , birthdates , and other personal data for 143 million Americans .
The data was accessed via a entanglement program vulnerability , Equifax state in a statement . The company ’s investigating found that hacker first accessed the data in mid - May of this twelvemonth and maintained their access over the summer , ending on July 29 . Equifax is working with a forensic business firm to look into the breach , and says its investigation is on-going .
citation card numbers belonging to roughly 209,000 consumer were also steal , along with what Equifax calls “ contravention documents with personal identifying information ” for 182,000 more people .
“ The fellowship has found no grounds of unauthorized bodily function on Equifax ’s core consumer or commercial-grade credit reporting databases , ” the company said in astatement .
Equifax says that data point belonging to people in Canada and the United Kingdom may also have been get at , and it is working with regulators in those countries to give away the breach .
“ This is clearly a disappointing event for our company , and one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do . I rationalize to consumer and our stage business client for the care and frustration this causes , ” Equifax CEO Richard F. Smith articulate in a statement .
Social Security number and other personal entropy can be used in identity larceny schema . Credit circuit card numbers , of trend , can be used to make fallacious purchases . Equifax is offering identity theft tribute and acknowledgment monitoring to affected consumers .
The Equifax breach affect many more the great unwashed than the 2013 Target hack writer that expose the fiscal selective information of more than 41 million customer . Target pay a$18.5 million settlementin response to cause over the hack .
Equifax
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