The Hack of National Public Data
Want to Find Out If Your Social Security
Number Is Up
for Sale?
![](https://www.eppresents.com/images/Yur-Data-R-Us-1a-SM.png")
As was widely reported over the last several weeks, data broker, National Public Data (NPD), has had its database of approximately 2.9 billion records pilfered last December 2023. It was not, however, until August 2024, that NPD acknowledged that all of their data records were stolen by cybercrooks.
In many ways, you might think, it's another day; and that means another data breach. One more data broker played fast and loose with its sacred duty to do all that is possible to keep its systems secure. In this case, as later reported by Krebs on Security, NPD stored its passwords in an insecure web facing server in plain text. So, good luck, NPD and its executives, defending all the class actions pending now and in the future.
.
Of course, what is most on everyone's mind is: "Is my personal information included in this hack?" Tools have been made available online to help you answer that question. In an article by CNET posted, August 21, 2024, titled, "Check if Your Social Security Number Is Part of the National Public Data Breach," two different tools to search the database of exposed personal data were announced. Before a reader can come to the search tools, the entire depressing story of the hack is discussed. Read it all if you wish, but below I will take you directly to each of the two tools, and give guidance on how to use them. Quoting from the CNET article:
Two online security companies have put up websites that let you check for free if your Social Security number is part of the stolen store of personal information: One is https://www.npdbreach.com/ from the online privacy company Atlas Privacy; the second is https://npd.pentester.com/ by the Pentester cybersecurity company.
I tried them both, and found the tool at Pentester to be the more useful and straight forward. Below is guidance and the results for each of the search tools. When testing the tool, any current personal information of mine has been redacted.
Table 1
| How to use the NPD Data Breach database search tools |
| Below is the screen
that is displayed when you first go the search page at Pentester. Simply type your First Name, Last Name, State, Birth year (redacted) No real danger to use here. |
 |
|
The results of the search are very straight forward. In my case, all of the pilfered information was very stale. An address that I haven't live at for over 48 years. Another address that was over 30 years old. A telephone number that has not been mine for about 15 years. And another telephone number that is located in Texas. I have never been to Texas. |
 |
|
The NPD Breach tool was a single page. The search showed no data was involved in the breach using current information. |
 |
| When inputting the same old info detected from the Pentester tool, two breaches were reported. |
 |
In my case, it was reassuring that the data included in this beach is very stale. It is most likely useless for any dirty deeds that might be attempted from this information. Your life may not have been as topsy-turvy as mine has been over the last 15 years, however. So, your data might be valuable if found in this database.
What experts suggest is that you place a credit freeze on your credit reports. I am in no position to agree or disagree with that. Some time ago, I had a discussion with a long term client about a credit freeze. This client told me that it was an absolute nightmare trying to get the freeze unfrozen.
So, maybe you might want to contact
one the
several law firms prosecuting the class action lawsuit.
You can click the link.
Or,
It's 10 o'clock. Do you know where your data is?
Gerald Reiff
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