credit freeze – Page 2 – Computer Security Articles

Fear Not: You, Too, Are a Cybercrime Victim!

October 4, 2017 admin Christina Tetreault, Consumer Reports, Consumers Union, credit freeze, credit lock, Equifax, House Energy & Commerce Committee, hurricane irma, irs, Other, Politico, Richard Smith, TALX, Wells Fargo, wired.com, Yahoo

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2017 04:34:50 +0000

Maybe you’ve been feeling left out because you weren’t among the lucky few hundred million or billion who had their personal information stolen in either the Equifax or Yahoo! breaches. Well buck up, camper: Both companies took steps to make you feel better today. Yahoo! announced that, our bad!: It wasn’t just one billion users who had their account information filched in its record-breaking 2013 data breach. It was more like three billion (read: all) users. Meanwhile, big three credit bureau Equifax added 2.5 million more victims to its roster of 143 million Americans who had their Social Security numbers and other personal data filched in a breach earlier this year. At the same time, Equifax’s erstwhile CEO informed Congress that the breach was the result of even more bone-headed security than was first disclosed. To those still feeling left out by either company after this spate of news, I have only one thing to say (although I feel a bit like a broken record in repeating this): Assume you’re compromised, and take steps accordingly.

Independent Krebs

Here’s What to Ask the Former Equifax CEO

September 30, 2017 admin credit freeze, credit lock, Equifax breach, Other, Paulino do Rego Barros Jr., ThreatMetrix

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2017 16:07:09 +0000

Richard Smith — who resigned as chief executive of big-three credit bureau Equifax this week in the wake of a data breach that exposed 143 million Social Security numbers — is slated to testify in front of no fewer than four committees on Capitol Hill next week. If I were a lawmaker, here are some of the questions I’d ask when Mr. Smith goes to Washington.

Independent Krebs

Experian Site Can Give Anyone Your Credit Freeze PIN

September 24, 2017 admin credit freeze, Equifax, Experian, Other

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 15:06:57 +0000

An alert reader recently pointed my attention to a free online service offered big-three credit bureau Experian that allows anyone to request the personal identification number (PIN) needed to unlock a consumer credit file that was previously frozen at Experian.

Independent Krebs

The Equifax Breach: What You Should Know

September 11, 2017 admin ChexSystems, credit freeze, Equifax hack, Experian, Identity Theft, Innovis, Other, Trans Union

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 00:31:40 +0000

It remains unclear whether those responsible for stealing Social Security numbers and other data on as many as 143 million Americans from big-three credit bureau Equifax intend to sell this data to identity thieves. But if ever there was a reminder that you — the consumer — are ultimately responsible for protecting your financial future, this is it. Here’s what you need to know and what you should do in response to this unprecedented breach.