Equifax just announced that hackers exploited a website application to gain access to access to some files. It appears the unauthorized access occurred sometime between the middle of May and July of 2017. After learning of the hack, Equifax hired a cyber security firm to conduct an independent review. They will determine which data has been impacted and the scope of the intrusion.
The majority of affected consumer information includes names, social security numbers, addresses, and dates of birth. Driver’s license numbers have also been involved in some cases as well. Unfortunately, credit card information for upwards of 209,000 consumers have also been accessed. There does not appear to be any evidence that the unauthorized access extends to core consumers or commercial credit reporting databases as of yet.
Equifax has established a dedicated website, www.equifaxsecurity2017.com, to help consumers determine if their information is at risk or potentially affected. Click on “Potential Impact” and enter your last name and last 6 digits of your Social Security number.
Equifax is also offering free identity theft protection for 1 year and credit monitoring to all U.S. consumers, regardless if your information was impacted by this event.
0 Comments