The social security number of every American may have been leaked

Every American's Social Security number could have been compromised in a massive cybersecurity breach that could threaten the identity of all citizens.

The hacker group USDoD claims to have leaked 2.7 billion pieces of personal data, including social security numbers, full names and home addresses, from a data broker called National Public Data (NPD).

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NPD is a background screening agency that discloses sensitive personal information to prospective employers and recruitment agencies, as well as to private investigators, as part of screening processes.

According to a class action lawsuit, NPD obtained the data without consent and the breach occurred sometime in April 2024.

The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. Department of Defense was able to “extract the unencrypted personal information of billions of individuals based on information and assumptions” and that the personal information was “published, offered for sale, and sold by cybercriminals on the dark web.”

Accordingly PiepComputerThe data worth 3.5 million dollars was passed on.

How do I know if I've been hacked?

There are several ways you can check whether your personal data has been shared.

First, monitor your credit reports and look for unauthorized or fraudulent activity, including opening new bank accounts, credit cards, or large withdrawals.

Related: Mark Cuban issues warning after his Google account was hacked

If you receive a communication from a debt collector or notice fraudulent activity, contact your financial institution and law enforcement.

Also, be the first to call (that is, if you receive a call, say you will call back) and do not give out your Social Security number.