Tech Tip Tuesday is written and made possible by Computek who has been providing Georgetown and Austin businesses with fast, reliable and secure IT support and services since 2001. Learn more about Computek on their website, Facebook page or Instagram profile.
National Public Data has confirmed that a hacking group has compromised the personal records of millions of individuals. The exposed information includes names, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers. Although the breach occurred in April 2024, it only came to light in August 2024 following a class action lawsuit.
With an unknown number of social security numbers potentially leaked online, it’s crucial to take immediate steps to protect your identity. While it might seem overwhelming, thankfully there are simple actions you can take today that will notify you if your identity has been compromised and help secure your identity in the future.
Steps to Check if Your Identity Has Been Compromised
If you’re unsure whether your identity has been impacted, Pentester offers a tool that allows you to verify if your information was part of the breach. You can access the database here. This database will show what kind of information has been leaked when you enter your name, state, and birth year.
Even if you find that you weren’t affected by this specific breach, there’s a high likelihood that your information may have been exposed in a different incident. If your data has been compromised, your identity is at risk of being stolen, but there are proactive measures you can take to mitigate the threat.
Freeze Your Credit and Set Up Alerts
One of the most effective ways to protect your identity and credit is by freezing your credit and setting up alerts. To do this, you’ll need to contact all three major credit bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian—and request a credit freeze.
The process is free (you should never have to pay to complete this process) and typically takes less than 10 minutes. This will prevent hackers from using your information to open new credit accounts in your name. Note that if you encounter a website that is difficult to navigate, you can often complete a credit freeze over the phone by following the automated system.
Safeguard Your Family Against Identity Theft
If you have children, especially those over 18, it’s wise to freeze their credit as well. Even if they haven’t started building credit, anyone with a social security number is vulnerable following a breach of this magnitude.
Use the same steps above to freeze their credit and help protect their identities from theft, just be sure to maintain any passwords, pins, and security questions in a safe location. This will ensure you will be able to thaw their credit in the future. Once this is complete, you will be able to monitor their credit and will be notified of any attempts to open a new credit card.
The Bottom Line
Even if your information wasn’t compromised in the NPD breach, cybercriminals are constantly targeting businesses of all sizes. While this attack affected a large organization, small businesses are also at risk due to weaker cybersecurity measures. To safeguard your business’s data and provide peace of mind to your employees and customers, investing in a comprehensive cybersecurity plan is essential.
For more information on robust cybersecurity solutions, contact us at Computek. Schedule a 15-minute discovery call or call us directly at 512-869-1155.
That’s all for this week’s Tech Tip Tuesday – We’ll see you next time!
Comments