The private information of almost one-third of the population of the United States has been leaked following a security lapse within a major corporation responsible for conducting background checks.
Article by Kevin Hughes, republished with permission from Naturalnews.com
The affected company, MC2 Data, provides background check services. The company collects, organizes and analyzes data from a vast range of public sources, such as criminal records, employment histories, family data and contact details. (Related: Massive DATA BREACH exposes personal data of 700 million users of Microsoft-owned LinkedIn.)
MC2 Data and similar companies use the gathered information to make complete profiles that are used by employers, landlords and other entities who depend on them for decision-making and risk management.
MC2 Data owns multiple background check websites, including PrivateRecords.net, PrivateReports, PeopleSearcher, ThePeopleSearchers and PeopleSearchUSA.
Cyber News reported that the total number of people affected by the data breach is 106,316,633. MC2 is being accused of leaving a database with 2.2 terabytes worth of information without a password and readily accessible on the open web, raising serious concerns regarding the ability of MC2 Data to protect the privacy and safety of people it conducts background searches on.
People and organizations needing background checks have also been exposed to data breach
People and organizations who require background check services from MC2 Data have also been exposed. The data of 2,319,873 users subscribed to MC2 Data services was also leaked.
The leaked data includes names, emails, IP addresses, encrypted passwords, payment information, home addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, property records, legal records, employment history and even the data of their family, relatives and neighbors.
One of Cyber News‘ security researchers, Aras Nazarovas, pointed out that these problems have plagued the background check industry for years.
“Background-checking services have always been problematic, as cybercriminals would often be able to purchase their services to gather data on their victims,” Nazarovas said. “While background-check services keep trying to prevent such cases, they haven’t 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.”
As stated by Cyber News researchers, the MC2 Data subscribers could be high-value targets for cybercriminals. These subscribers could be employers, landlords, law enforcement and similar entities. “If anyone else accessed this information, it could spark conflicts in some communities and organizations,” Nazarovas said.
According to Thomas Richards, associate principal consultant at Synopsys Software Integrity Group, the scale of the breach exposes affected people to a range of future risks.
“Anyone affected by this breach needs to reset their password immediately on any site where it had been used before,” Richards said. “MC2 customers need to be extra careful of any sudden and urgent requests to take unusual action, as they could be phishing attempts. The attackers have a lot of information that can be used to create attacks that will appear valid, which the customers need to be extra cautious about.”
Background check corporations like MC2 Data hold on to massive stores of sensitive information, making them appealing targets for hackers. Late last year, cybercriminals stole about 2.9 billion personal data records from background check company National Public Data. The data included names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses and Social Security numbers.
Follow PrivacyWatch.news for more stories like this.
Watch the video below to learn more about the massive data breach of American Social Security numbers that happened on August 17.
This video is from the alltheworldsastage channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
AT&T’s MASSIVE data breach affects 73 MILLION previous and current customers.
Data breach in Indonesian COVID-19 tracking app exposes data of over 1 million people.
Xfinity notifies customers of data breach due to “software vulnerability.”
Sources include:
RELATED REPORT:
Here’s Why I Think An “EMP” Is The Biggest Threat To America Right Now
Here's Why I Think An "EMP" Is The Biggest Threat To America Right Now
What is the biggest threat to America....right now?
Joe Biden? Certainly he's not helping things.
Barack Obama? The puppet master behind Biden.
Soros? The puppet master behind Biden.
China? Always on the list.
Democrats?
RINOs?
Election theft?
Nuclear attack?
All of these things are serious threats, but I want to tell you about something often not discussed....but the impact could be bigger than anything above.
Yes, really.
It's called an EMP attack.
What's an "EMP" anyway?
Good question!
An EMP, or Electromagnetic Pulse, is a powerful burst of energy that can disrupt or damage electronic devices and electrical systems. It's like a super strong wave of energy that can mess with anything that uses electricity. This includes cell phones, computers, cars, and even the power grid that gives electricity to homes and businesses.
You may have heard about it before, but it's not commonly discussed.
So let me break it all down for you...
Likelihood of an EMP Attack:
- Technological Feasibility: Creating an effective EMP weapon is technologically challenging. It typically involves nuclear detonations at high altitudes or sophisticated non-nuclear devices. The complexity of these technologies limits their availability mostly to advanced military powers.
- Global Politics and Deterrence: The United States has strong diplomatic relations and defense systems, which act as deterrents against direct attacks from other major powers. The doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD) often serves as a deterrent against nuclear-based EMP attacks, as such an attack could lead to a full-scale nuclear war.
- Non-State Actors: The greater risk may come from non-state actors (like terrorist groups) who might not be deterred by traditional means. However, their access to the necessary technology is typically quite limited.
- Natural EMPs: There is also the risk of a natural EMP caused by a solar storm, similar to the Carrington Event of 1859. While not a deliberate attack, the effects could be similarly disruptive.
Most Likely Ways an EMP Could Happen:
- High-Altitude Nuclear Detonation: A nuclear bomb detonated high in the atmosphere could create a powerful EMP. This would require intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities.
- Non-Nuclear EMP Devices: These devices can be designed to target specific areas or systems without the broader destruction caused by nuclear weapons. However, their effective range and power are generally less than a nuclear EMP.
- Cyber-Physical Attacks: A coordinated cyber-attack on power grids and electronic systems could mimic some effects of an EMP, though technically different.
- Solar Storms: A severe solar storm hitting the Earth could create natural EMP effects, disrupting electrical systems and communications.
The Fallout From an EMP:
- Power Outage: EMPs can knock out electricity everywhere, like turning off a big light switch for a whole city or even a country.
- No Internet or Phones: Imagine not being able to call, text, or use the internet. That's what happens with an EMP.
- Water Supply Issues: Without power, getting clean water to homes and buildings becomes really hard.
- Food Shortage: Stores need electricity to keep food fresh. Without it, a lot of food can go bad quickly.
- No Heating or Air Conditioning: Houses and buildings would lose heating in winter and air conditioning in summer.
- Hospitals Struggle: Hospitals rely on power for life-saving equipment. An EMP could put many lives at risk.
- Transportation Problems: Cars, buses, and trains might not work, making it tough to get around.
- Banking and Money Problems: ATMs and credit card machines need power, so buying things could become really difficult.
- Emergency Services Disrupted: Police, fire, and ambulance services could be severely affected.
- Danger to Airplanes: Planes flying when an EMP hits could have serious trouble.
- Schools Closing: With no power, schools might have to close.
- No Radio or TV: News and entertainment through radio and TV would be cut off.
- Damage to Electronics: An EMP can break things like computers, TVs, and even some toys.
- Industrial Shutdowns: Factories and other big workplaces would have to stop work.
- Fuel Shortages: Gas stations need power to pump gas, so cars might run out of fuel.
- Increased Crime: Without alarms or streetlights, there might be more thefts and other crimes.
- Health Risks from Spoiled Food: Without fridges, food can spoil and make people sick.
- Waste Disposal Problems: Trash and sewage systems might not work properly.
- Mental Health Stress: The sudden change and uncertainty can be really stressful and scary for people.
- Long-Term Recovery: Fixing everything after an EMP can take a really long time and be very hard.
Life In America Following an EMP Attack:
Week 1: Immediate Chaos and Confusion
- In the immediate aftermath, there would be widespread panic and confusion. The EMP, having disabled all electronics, would leave individuals without means of communication; cell phones, internet, and radio would be rendered useless.
- Transportation systems would grind to a halt. Modern vehicles with electronic components would fail, leading to widespread traffic jams and stranded individuals.
- Emergency services would be severely hampered, struggling to respond to incidents without their usual communication and transportation infrastructure.
- There would be a run on stores for essential supplies as people quickly realize the severity of the situation. This could lead to shortages and even looting in some areas.
Week 2-3: Adapting to the New Reality
- Communities would begin to adapt. Those with older, non-electronic vehicles and equipment would find themselves at an advantage.
- People would turn to bicycles, horses, or simply walking for transportation.
- The lack of refrigeration and electronic banking systems would lead to a reliance on cash transactions and bartering. Localized trading systems might emerge.
- Battery-operated or hand-crank radios would become vital sources of information, assuming some radio stations could continue broadcasting.
- There would be a significant increase in manual labor as machines and automated systems used in manufacturing and agriculture would be non-operational.
Week 4 and Beyond: Long-Term Adjustments
- Social structures would begin to shift, with communities becoming more localized and self-sufficient. Neighbors would need to work together for survival, leading to a resurgence of community-oriented living.
- Food shortages could become a serious issue. Without modern transportation and preservation methods, communities would have to rely on locally sourced food, leading to a rise in gardening and small-scale farming.
- Health care would face severe challenges. Hospitals would struggle without modern equipment, leading to a reliance on more traditional methods of treatment and an increased need for medical knowledge within communities.
- Education would revert to non-digital methods. Schools, if they remained open, would rely on books and oral teaching methods.
- Over time, there might be efforts to rebuild some form of electrical infrastructure, but this would be a slow and difficult process given the extent of the damage caused by the EMP.
Now you see what I'm talking about?
As usual, I don't like to just leave you hanging with the bad news....I like to give you solutions!
And I have one here.
You know I've got you covered!
There ARE things you can do right now to make sure you and your family will stay safe and be able to survive in the event we end up living through an EMP strike.
Imagine losing all lights and heating in the winter?
Negative 10 degrees outside and suddenly you're back in the stone age?
Follow the link below to find out what you can do right now.
Let's all stay safe together, ok?
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