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Coverage dated August 12, 2024 to August 14, 2024

Social Security number hack: How to know if number stolen

Headline from Newsweek, on the newest of 2 developments

National Public Data had sensitive data for nearly three billion people stolen by a hacking group.

Newsweek's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Every American's Social Security number, address may have been stolen in hack

    Headline from FOX 13 Tampa ·

  2. Newest

    Social Security number hack: How to know if number stolen

    Headline from Newsweek ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

26 articles, oldest first.

  1. Engadget

    Hackers may have leaked the Social Security Numbers of every American (opens Engadget)

    Published

    Engadget's feed description

    A huge data leak may include the Social Security Numbers and other personal data of every American.

  2. Los Angeles Times

    Hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of every American. How to protect yourself (opens Los Angeles Times)

    Published

    Los Angeles Times's feed description

    In an epic data breach, hackers claim to have taken 2.9 billion personal records from National Public Data. Most of the data are leaked online.

  3. Anchorage Daily News

    Hackers may have stolen the Social Security number of every American. Here’s how to protect yourself. (opens Anchorage Daily News)

    Published

    Anchorage Daily News's feed description

    About four months after a notorious hacking group claimed to have stolen an extraordinary amount of sensitive personal information from a major data broker, a member of the group has reportedly released most of it for free on an online marketplace.

  4. KTVU San Francisco

    Every American's Social Security number, address may have been stolen in hack (opens KTVU San Francisco)

    Published

    KTVU San Francisco's feed description

    Hackers claimed to have stolen more than 2 billion records containing sensitive information including Social Security numbers, with some data reportedly leaked online.

  5. Black Enterprise

    Here's How To Protect Yourself If Your Social Security Number Was Leaked In Data Breach (opens Black Enterprise)

    Published

    Black Enterprise's feed description

    Personal information, including Social Security numbers, may have been included in a massive data breach by hackers in April 2024.

  6. CNET

    Was Your Social Security Number Stolen in the National Public Data Breach? What to Do (opens CNET)

    Published

    CNET's feed description

    If you are one of the 2.9 billion people whose information was reportedly stolen in the massive data hack, here are steps you can take to protect your Social Security number.

  7. Townhall

    Hackers May Have Stolen Every Americans' Social Security Number (opens Townhall)

    Published

  8. Quartz

    A ton of Social Security numbers got stolen as hackers took 3 billion private records (opens Quartz)

    Published

    Quartz's feed description

    The hacker group USDoD reportedly stole billions of records from a background check company

  9. CBS News

    Hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of all Americans. Here (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    Lawsuit claims hackers gained access to "billions" of Social Security numbers by breaching background check company.

  10. The Hill

    Hackers may have stolen every Americans’ Social Security number: Report (opens The Hill)

    Published

    The Hill's feed description

    Several reports say hackers stole data from a worldwide credit monitoring company, perhaps acquiring every Social Security number of every American.

  11. New York Post

    Hackers may have stolen your Social Security number: Here’s how to protect yourself (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    A cybercriminal group which calls itself USDoD uploaded a large database titled "National Public Data" to a dark web forum, it was alleged.

  12. Newsweek

    Social Security number hack: How to know if number stolen (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    National Public Data had sensitive data for nearly three billion people stolen by a hacking group.

  13. Las Vegas Review-Journal

    ‘5 alarm wake-up call’: Hackers may have stolen Social Security numbers of every American (opens Las Vegas Review-Journal)

    Published

    Las Vegas Review-Journal's feed description

    The breach, which includes Social Security numbers and other sensitive data, could power a raft of identity theft, fraud and other crimes, said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the U.S. Public Information Research Group.

  14. Washington Examiner

    Hackers may have stolen your Social Security number: Here are precautions you should take (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    Hackers allegedly breached nearly three billion people’s records in April. Here are some simple ways to make sure they can't access your personal information.

  15. ABC 7 Los Angeles

    Hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of every American. Here's what to know (opens ABC 7 Los Angeles)

    Published

    ABC 7 Los Angeles's feed description

    In what is possibly one of the worst data breaches in history, hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of every American.

  16. CNET

    Was Your Social Security Number Stolen in the National Public Data Hack? What You Can Do (opens CNET)

    Published

    CNET's feed description

    If you are one of the reportedly 2.9 billion people whose information was stolen in the massive data hack, here are steps you can take to protect your Social Security number.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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