NPD Data Breach Hits 2.9 Billion Records

A massive data breach involving the personal information of 2.9 billion individuals has been attributed to the hacker group USDoD, targeting the background check firm National Public Data (NPD). The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, names, addresses, and information about relatives. This breach, which reportedly affects people from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, has been partially released on an online marketplace for free. The breach has raised significant concerns about identity theft and fraud. Victims are advised to monitor credit reports, use two-factor authentication, and change passwords frequently. National Public Data has yet to formally acknowledge the breach but claims to be cooperating with law enforcement and has implemented additional security measures.