Equifax Says Cyberattack May Have Affected 143 Million Customers - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2017, 07:41:33 pm
content: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/business/equifax-cyberattack.htmlhttps://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/*sigh*You can see if you may be affected in the second URL. Click on the bottom left button "potential impact"You can also get a free 1 year credit monitoring service; whatever that's worth.Apparently, my info may be compromised...

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2017, 07:46:09 pm
content: Did you read the user agreement? You wave your right to litigation by using that site to check.I have mine frozen on all 3 of the Credit sites, should reduce my chances of theft.

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2017, 07:59:10 pm
content: Quote from: dr.diesel on September 08, 2017, 07:46:09 pmI didn't see that. Do you mean here?https://trustedidpremier.com/static/terms

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2017, 09:34:55 pm
content: Looks like they have already modified the site, but:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/09/08/what-to-know-before-you-check-equifaxs-data-breach-website/?utm_term=.f7ea03ce3e8a

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2017, 10:10:17 pm
content: It all gray area. Keeps the lawyers in business. Reading the terms, simply checking if you're affected doesn't sound to me like you are utilizing their products. If you enroll, then you certainly are. But, again, IANAL and just because you're right, doesn't mean you'll win in court.Probably the best course of action is to put a lock on your account with all three reporting agencies.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2017, 11:29:31 pm
content: And just after they screw up with the world's largest security snafu:"What's more, the websitewww.equifaxsecurity2017.com/, which Equifax created to notify people of the breach, is highly problematic for a variety of reasons. It runs on a stock installation WordPress, a content management system that doesn't provide the enterprise-grade security required for a site that asks people to provide their last name and all but three digits of their Social Security number. The TLS certificate doesn't perform proper revocation checks. Worse still, the domain name isn't registered to Equifax, and its format looks like precisely the kind of thing a criminal operation might use to steal people's details. It's no surprise that Cisco-owned Open DNS was blocking access to the site and warning it was a suspected phishing threat."https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/09/why-the-equifax-breach-is-very-possibly-the-worst-leak-of-personal-info-ever/

author: JoeO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 02:14:42 am
content: And of course:Three Equifax Managers Sold Stock Before Cyber Hack Revealedhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-07/three-equifax-executives-sold-stock-before-revealing-cyber-hack

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 02:59:46 am
content: SUE THE SHIT OUT OF EM !I never understood the usage of such bureau's. That mechanism does not exist in europe.

author: trophosphere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 03:07:42 am
content: I find it kind of weird that a person would choose to enroll in a monitoring program by the same company that had their security compromised in the first place.In addition, this monitoring program is free for only one year but the information from the breach will be available on the net to malicious individuals for many years to come so the identify theft can occur years out after your subscription to the monitoring program has expired unless you pay Equifax to continue it. Makes business sense actually... create demand for your subscription service.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 04:27:11 am
content: "Cyberattack" is the standard excuse for "you've been compromised and can't hold us accountable,but we'll try harder next time to get our sh!t together, to assist with organizing yours ..."

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 10:45:07 am
content: Quote from: JoeO on September 09, 2017, 02:14:42 amScum.Wouldn't that be considered insider trading?Maybe.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-equifax-insider-trading-20170908-story.htmlAll the money they made should be confiscated.Looks to be about $2M.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/09/08/outrage-builds-after-equifax-executives-banked-2-million-in-stock-sales-following-data-breach/?utm_term=.91dcb01fca0b

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 12:08:09 pm
content: Their web app said I " may have been affected" ...May have been? That's kindof like "You may have a terminal disease, but we don't really know".In any case, I put a freeze on all the major credit reporting agencies, and added fraud alerts on top. It's sad, but I still have access to an identity protection service for free, due to the OPM (Office of Personell Management) incident that occurred several years ago, where their database was broken into. I think I'll just stick with that one which seems to be very good, because there is going to be a class action lawsuit seeking $70 Billion in damages and I want my $50 out of the settlement.

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 12:46:08 pm
content: Quote from: xrunner on September 09, 2017, 12:08:09 pmSounds like a good idea - how much did it cost you?Does anyone know if a freeze will screw up an existing credit card when the time comes to get a new one because the old one expired?

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 12:55:34 pm
content: Quote from: Jwalling on September 09, 2017, 12:46:08 pm$10 for each agency. Equifax even charged for it which they better reimburse at some point. Can you even believe that? But what can you do?QuoteIt doesn't apply to existing companies that have already requested credit reports - only for new inquiries. But you can unfreeze at any time with the PIN and re-freeze if you apply for new credit - then freeze again.

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 02:08:35 pm
content: Interesting. According to this it should be free:http://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/credit-freeze-and-thaw-guide/

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 02:22:00 pm
content: Quote from: Jwalling on September 09, 2017, 02:08:35 pmNo it's not free it's about $10 for each entity.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 02:47:20 pm
content: Mine was free for all 3, but I believe it varies by state.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 07:22:17 pm
content: Yeah, some states charge for locking, unlocking, or both. Pricing may be different depending on your age and victim status.Lots of Experian's pages about locking your account get "Page not found", including a linked headline in red that says, "Concerned about the Equifax® data breach? Find out how Experian can help." Click the link and the page doesn't exist.Although it sucks that this happened (I also "may have been" affected), it's good to give these companies a boot to the head to get them to wake up and get their $#!@& together.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 07:52:51 pm
content: So what do they really mean when they say the data of 143 million was "exposed"? Does that mean that hackers could steal any data files they wanted to, but might not have, or does it mean that they stole all 143 million because they downloaded the database? If they were accessing it and didn't steal any data, or very little, then it might not be so bad. It's just not clear to me what they mean.Also, was the data encrypted? If not why not?

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 08:01:37 pm
content: It means they either don't yet know the extent of the breach (it can take a while to fully investigate what happened) or they're intentionally obfuscating it for various reasons.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2017, 08:06:53 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on September 09, 2017, 02:59:46 amThat. And companies can't make you waive rights by terms and conditions.Nice one though.1. Hack competitor2. Fear Mongering News Stories3. Profit

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 04:39:44 am
content: There needs to be jail time for this sort of thing. Especially a company that has such valuable info, they should be obligated to have the most serious security. Whoever is responsible for allowing this hack to happen should be held fully liable for all damages done to all affected. This needs to be the case for all instances where user's info is compromised. This stuff happens way too much now, and the biggest issue is that companies don't care, and there is no incentive for them to care because there are no penalties when it happens.I'm not even mad at the hackers, but at the companies for allowing the vulnerabilities to exist in first place. These are billion dollar operations, they have zero excuse, they should have top notch security experts working on the systems and continuously monitoring and checking for any vulnerabilities. A company as big as Equifax should have an entire IT department dedicated strictly at systems security. But instead they probably outsource IT to the lowest bidder.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 11:59:28 am
content: After a free year of some kind of ID guard, Equifax will SELL you the feature for $10/year.So, they arrange for the data to be stolen and profit by as much as $1.43 BILLION per year in subscriptions. How cool is that? Capitalism at work... And the burden is still on the individuals.In my view, Equifax should cease to exist; the .gov should simply close them down. Their stock has taken a 14% hit but it amazes me that they still have stockholders. The company is too incompetent to survive.

author: darrellg
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 09:33:46 pm
content: I'm tired of this bullshit. It's time to scrap the current system and come up with something new. We can do better.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 09:37:30 pm
content: Among other states, the Attorney General of Illinois is looking at suing Equifax.In my opinion (educated in natural philosophy, not the law),ifI did not give my information to Equifax voluntarilyI did not have any option to opt out or remove my information from themTheir incompetence and/or negligence put me at riskthenThey should take the initiative to remove me from risk, perhaps by freezing my credit accountThey should be given a serious penalty

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 10:03:42 pm
content: Quote from: darrellg on September 11, 2017, 09:33:46 pmTotally agree. Why the hell is ID theft the consumer's fault for one? I didn't ask for the loan and I wasn't the lending agent that gave the loan to an imposter? WTF?

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 10:47:58 pm
content: Quote from: TimFox on September 11, 2017, 09:37:30 pmSo, the states sue. Who gets the money? The states, naturally, but what about the victims?The class action suit that is sure to follow should require a trillion $ fund be created by the 3 reporting agencies to cover fraud created by their ineptitude.Equifax is just the first to admit they have been hacked. The other two will be piping up soon!

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2017, 11:14:00 pm
content: Since most information is the same or similar, if one of the three reporting agencies gets hacked, do the other two even matter?

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2017, 12:58:01 am
content: There's a bunch 'o class action lawsuits already. Probably will be combined into one Mother of all Class Actions.They have been backing down on some of the requirements they had, such as requiring a credit card to get the one year of free credit monitoring, and stating you are not locked out of participating in the class action. What a mess.

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 21, 2017, 09:37:27 am
content: It just keeps getting better.https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/20/business/equifax-fake-website.html

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2017, 05:39:22 pm
content: They're taking a really long time to process enrollments, too. After almost a week without an enrollment confirmation email, I called them and they said that, yeah, there are so many people signing up that it's taking more than the 72-hour estimate.Even though they tried to spread out the workload by issuing enrollment dates, it's obviously not enough to keep up.As stated in the NY Times article about the fake site:Quote

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 21, 2017, 05:55:47 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on September 21, 2017, 05:39:22 pmEven more fun is when I tried to sign up my mother for the credit freeze, it kept throwing an error about how the site could not process the request at this time. Of course, this was after filling out the entire web form with all the personal details. The back button on my browser would naturally clear the form as well. It took me a good dozen attempts and several days before it finally accepted the submission.If only Moe, Larry, and Curly (no Shemps or Curly-Joes please!) were still alive today; they could have done a better job.

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 13, 2017, 09:58:14 am
content: Looks like they're still batting a thousand.https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/10/12/equifax-may-have-been-breached-again/758734001/