Onethird of the US populations background info is now public Cybernews

p 2024 Cybernews Latest Cybersecurity and Tech News Research AnalysisppCybernews exclusive research has revealed that a massive data leak at MC2 Data a background check firm affects a staggering amount of US citizens ppMC2 Data and similar companies run public records and background check services These services gather compile and analyze data from a wide range of public sources including criminal records employment history family data and contact details ppThey use this information to create comprehensive profiles that employers landlords and others rely on for decisionmaking and risk managementppWebsites that MC2 Data operates include ppDespite dealing with staggering amounts of sensitive data it is not always kept secure On August 7th the Cybernews research team uncovered that the company left a database with 22TB of peoples data passwordless and easily accessible to anyone on the internet ppWhat was likely to be a human error exposed 106316633 records containing private information about US citizens raising serious concerns about privacy and safety Estimates suggest that at least 100 million individuals were affected by this massive data leakppPeople and organizations needing background checks have also been exposed as the data of 2319873 users who subscribed to MC2 Data services was leaked ppLeaked data includedppBusinesses that operate public records and background check services are subject to strict regulations They need to comply with various federal state and local regulations to ensure that their operations are legal and that individuals data is protectedppThe leak which our team uncovered raises concerns about how such entities manage and protect sensitive data The exposure of a large volume of personally identifiable information PII violates privacy and puts countless individuals at risk of identity theft and other malicious attacks Meanwhile MC2 Data faces potential reputational damage and legal actionppBackgroundchecking services have always been problematic as cybercriminals would often be able to purchase their services to gather data on their victims said Aras Nazarovas a Cybernews security researcher ppWhile backgroundcheck services keep trying to prevent such cases they havent been able to stop such use of their services completely Such a leak is a goldmine for cybercriminals as it eases access and reduces risk for them allowing them to misuse these detailed reports more effectively ppAccording to Cybernews researchers the leaked subscribers information is also troublesome as they could be highvalue targets for cybercriminals These subscribers could be employers landlords law enforcement and similar entities ppIf anyone else accessed this information it could spark conflicts in some communities and organizations adds the researcher ppCybernews reached out to MC2 Data multiple times but received no response At the time of publishing access to the database had been securedppUpdated on September 25th to include the date the leak was discovered and details about its closurepp
Introducing additional hands into the AI supply chain might not be such a great idea Passports detailed medical records resumes and other sensitive personal records were exposed in a database belonging to WotNot an Indian AI startup that helps build and customize bots for businesses
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pp 2024 Cybernews Latest Cybersecurity and Tech News Research Analysisp