A hacking group known as USDoD claimed responsibility for a significant data breach, stealing 2.7 billion records of personal information, including Social Security numbers and physical addresses, from National Public Data (NPD).

The NPD platform provides personal data for background checks to employers, private investigators, and staffing agencies.

The breach, which was first reported in April, has led to large amounts of sensitive information being leaked on online forums for stolen data.

USDoD originally attempted to sell the stolen database, which included personal records from the US, UK, and Canada, for $3.5 million on hacker forums.

However, portions of the data have been leaked by various entities, exacerbating the potential for identity theft and other fraudulent activities.

To safeguard against potential misuse of their information, individuals are advised to monitor their credit reports for any suspicious activity and report any issues to credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

Consumers have been requested to freeze their credit accounts to prevent unauthorized loans or credit card applications.

Additionally, US individuals have been tasked to strengthen their online security by managing passwords carefully, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating passwords.

Monitoring services that track personal information and activity on the dark web can also provide added protection against identity theft.