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2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

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31–40 of 88 posts

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#31

I am not sure how to approach it anymore. Frankly, since equifax breach and settlement I mostly gave up on hoping for any real change[1]. Whatever the catalyst will be for a shake up, it clearly won't be another -- sufficiently big -- breach. I was too optimistic about that. It will need to be something public, scandalous and, ideally, affecting someone powerful enough to effect change and privacy-conscious enough to…

I'm with you on this.

At this point the only thing I think that could happen to change the status quo is a full blown war against a country that's going to use hacked data against the United States in such a disruptive way that the legislators would have to react due to national security concerns.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#32
post #27
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't get a check, you get a gift card for a credit monitoring service that you will never use because all your data leaks all the time already. Motherfuckers asked my wife her SSN when she was getting a store card the other week. Not a credit card, a store card.

Actually, you get one free year of credit monitoring. After the first year, you'll be asked to pay for monitoring.

Actually, you'll need to input your credit card or other payment details for the one year, and after the first year they'll automatically remove money from it. Cancellation is not posible.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#33
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't get a check, you get a gift card for a credit monitoring service that you will never use because all your data leaks all the time already. Motherfuckers asked my wife her SSN when she was getting a store card the other week. Not a credit card, a store card.

What is a store card in that case, and how does it differ from credit card (other than, I assume, the place you apply)? The store cards I have seen are simply store-branded credit cards.

Some store chains still have their own credit cards that aren't just co-branded. Far less common these days but I've still occasionally signed up for discounts on large purchases.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#34
post #18
post #3

>As reported by Bloomberg, news of this massive new data breach was revealed as part of a class action lawsuit that was filed at the beginning of this month. I am so looking forward to getting my 2.99 USD check from this suit. Of course I need to apply for that check via an on-line site and give them all my personal information. Great time to be alive.

You don't get a check, you get a gift card for a credit monitoring service that you will never use because all your data leaks all the time already. Motherfuckers asked my wife her SSN when she was getting a store card the other week. Not a credit card, a store card.

I had a pawn shop try to take my social to buy a air paint sprayer. They said it was a city ordinance.

I left empty handed, even though I think SSN shouldn't be used as a password.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#35
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't get a check, you get a gift card for a credit monitoring service that you will never use because all your data leaks all the time already. Motherfuckers asked my wife her SSN when she was getting a store card the other week. Not a credit card, a store card.

What is a store card in that case, and how does it differ from credit card (other than, I assume, the place you apply)? The store cards I have seen are simply store-branded credit cards.

Based on the intonation, I'm guessing it's a "loyalty" card - it tracks your purchases, unlocks some level of default discounts, and will often accrue points you can then use for various purposes. Giant Eagle in the US is a good example - you earn points for every dollar spent, then you can redeem the points for percent off gas at their gas station, a percent off coupon, etc.

(the above description is very bland - add in anti-capitalist/m messaging wherever you deem appropriate, I won't argue)

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#36
post #25

Anyone know if we could have requested our data deleted from National Public Data per CCPA? If so, what other huge databrokers have the same data that we can request deletion?

You can request it from any of them. Almost all of them will deny the request because the CCPA is rarely prosecuted and because you can't bring any private lawsuits based on the CCPA. Even "real" corporations like Atlassian operate that way.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#38

At what point can we start demanding that SSNs be redefined? I've lost track of how many data breaches I've unwittingly been the victim of, and I'm usually more careful and paranoid than most.

We "just" need to stop pretending they are secret like passwords and using them to authenticate that someone is who they say they are. Banks should not be issuing loans based on a bunch of personal information (including SSN) that the collected and concluded "Yup, that data matches itself--therefore you are actually you!"

And we already have well regulated tools for getting away from the ssn nonsense. They're called notaries.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#39
post #21
post #3

>As reported by Bloomberg, news of this massive new data breach was revealed as part of a class action lawsuit that was filed at the beginning of this month. I am so looking forward to getting my 2.99 USD check from this suit. Of course I need to apply for that check via an on-line site and give them all my personal information. Great time to be alive.

Here's a fun thought experiment. How much should National Public Data have to pay the people affected by this breach? The article says there are 2.9 billion people impacted. Let's take that at face value and assume that there are no duplicates in there. How much should each person receive? The article also says that USDoD tried to sell the data for only $3.5 million, so they value it at roughly $830/person. Now, in c…

I don’t want their $3 or even $3000, if I am eligible for payout.

Instead, I’d like to force this company (and others similarly) to put all kinds of precautions in place. Also warn them that the next breach would result in severe penalties, assuming they could’ve prevented the breach in the first place.

Re: 2.9B hit in one of largest data breaches; full names and SSNs exposed

#40
post #21
post #3

>As reported by Bloomberg, news of this massive new data breach was revealed as part of a class action lawsuit that was filed at the beginning of this month. I am so looking forward to getting my 2.99 USD check from this suit. Of course I need to apply for that check via an on-line site and give them all my personal information. Great time to be alive.

Here's a fun thought experiment. How much should National Public Data have to pay the people affected by this breach? The article says there are 2.9 billion people impacted. Let's take that at face value and assume that there are no duplicates in there. How much should each person receive? The article also says that USDoD tried to sell the data for only $3.5 million, so they value it at roughly $830/person. Now, in c…

> Do you think National Public Data even has that kind of money?

If they don't have insurance for this precise problem then I think we should go after the owners personally. I'm sick of the shell game. Pierce the veil.

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