For those who are unaware of what has happened, well, in April 2024, National Public Data (NPD), a firm that compiles personal information for background checks, went through a kinda HUGE data breach. The most disturbing aspect of this breach is that those most affected were totally unaware of it as they had no idea that their data was even being collected by NPD. And just so you know, the leak of information affected nearly 3 billion individuals, which is the reason why it holds a record as one of the largest database breaches.
Like, all of this data not only consisted of such basic information as names and addresses, but also details that are sensitive in nature, such as social security numbers, family information, and full address histories. Not just that though, this data soon popped up for sale on the dark web, where stolen personal information is frequently traded. So, let’s just go over this National Public Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit, and see what it really means for you.
Just How Big Was This Breach?
You see, in the simplest terms, we can say it was: MASSIVE. It’s like saying billions of personal records are now out there, just for anyone willing to pay for that data and get their hands on it. The information covering 2019 to 2024 was brought to a total volume of nearly 277 gigabytes when extracted fully. As a surprise, the hacker attempted to sell this data for around $3.5 million. To identify how huge it was, most of the people affected generally had not shared their details with NPD. Rather, NPD acquired the data from non-public sources such as the internet, online databases, and government records without any knowledge of those individuals.
And just so you know, such a treacherous leak always comes with serious consequences. Once people are exposed to sensitive data, this information can lead to identity theft, opening accounts in someone’s name, and other types of fraud that both financially and emotionally damage people. That’s kinda a scary situation if you think about it for a sec.
Why Are People Suing?
Alright, time to get to the nitty-gritty of it. At the center of the class action lawsuit, known to the public as one of the latest scandals to hit the tech world, is Christopher Hofmann. This lawsuit is a joint one where Hofmann and others have joined together to sue NPD. You see, he realized his data had been hacked when he was informed by his data protection service that his information was spread on the dark web. The concerns over unauthorized data handling mirror those raised in the Paul Mackoul MD Lawsuit, where questions of proper information management and professional responsibility were also central issues.
Not just that though, according to the lawsuit, the firm NPD did not apply enough rules enabling security to protect the data that they were using. And sure, Hofmann along with other people believes that NPD should have implemented stronger security mechanisms to safeguard its users’ data. You know, this matter goes beyond that of privacy, it is about the loss of energy and the costs that people have to go through to protect themselves against fraud.
All in all, according to Hofmann’s lawsuit, the company’s actions which included the gathering, the secure retention of the data, and the failure to maintain security led to the violation of confidentiality. The people who were affected weren’t those buying from NPD, they didn’t agree that their data could be collected or saved by the company. Still, their personal details were extracted without consent, you know? The lawsuit insists that because NPD was making money from the information that it owned, it was the company’s duty to provide security for it.
