{"id":57992,"date":"2023-06-19T12:02:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T19:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberguy.com\/?p=57992&preview=true&preview_id=57992"},"modified":"2023-06-27T17:17:45","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T00:17:45","slug":"massive-cyberattack-strikes-millions-are-you-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyberguy.com\/security\/massive-cyberattack-strikes-millions-are-you-at-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Massive cyberattack strikes millions of Americans: Are you at risk?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Millions of Americans are facing a significant threat to their personal data as a result of a massive cyberattack targeting the widely used file-transfer program known as MOVEit. The impact so far is vast, even compromising residents of Louisiana and Oregon who possess driver’s licenses or state identification cards, and there are concerns among officials that the number of affected individuals could increase sizably. Moreover, this breach has far-reaching consequences, impacting numerous firms and organizations, including multinational corporations, federal and state agencies, and universities.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) says that the data of all individuals in Louisiana who possess a state-issued driver’s license, ID, or car registration may have been compromised and exposed by this attack. The OMV says that those impacted likely had the following personal information exposed: name, address, social security number, birth date, height, eye color, driver’s license number, vehicle registration information, and handicap placard information<\/strong>. The Oregon DMV says that its MOVEit Transfer data breach impacted approximately 3,500,000 Oregonians with an ID or driver’s license.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Aside from those residents affected in Oregon and Louisiana, numerous large corporations across the world have stated that their data was affected, including BBC, British Airways, and Aon. Multiple U.S. federal agencies and universities also have been impacted by the breach, including the Department of Energy. One Senior U.S. official stated that hundreds of companies could end up being hit by this data breach.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Whoever hacked this information was able to do so by exploiting a flaw in a commonly-used data file-transfer software called MOVEit, which was made by the Massachusetts-based Progress Software Corporation. \u00a0The U.S. government and many companies use MOVEit to send large files.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There has been no record yet of this data being sold or released. MOVEit has been ordered by cybersecurity experts and federal agencies to continue to give updates on the breach. However, the team at MOVEit, unfortunately, found another vulnerability in their software that they are now focusing on fixing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Russian hacker group called Clop is taking credit for the attack. The group has previously been known to demand multimillion-dollar ransoms. As of yet, the U.S. government has not received any requests for money from the group. Clop is instead focusing on getting money from larger corporations.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you are a resident of either Louisiana or Oregon or anyone else concerned about protecting themselves from identity fraud, here are some steps you can take:<\/p>\n Regularly review your bank statements, credit card statements, and other financial accounts for any unauthorized activity. If you notice any suspicious transactions, report them immediately to your bank or credit card company.<\/p>\n Contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) and request a fraud alert to be placed on your credit file. This will make it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name without verification.<\/p>\n Obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies mentioned earlier. Review the reports carefully for any suspicious or unauthorized activity. If you find any inaccuracies or signs of fraud, report them to the credit reporting agency immediately.<\/p>\n Consider placing a credit freeze on your credit reports. This will restrict access to your credit file, making it difficult for anyone to open new accounts using your information. Keep in mind that this may also affect your ability to apply for new credit, so weigh the pros and cons before opting for a credit freeze.<\/p>\n If you want a service that will walk you through every step of the reporting and recovery process, one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from this type of fraud is to subscribe to an identity theft service. My top recommendation is <\/span>Identity Guard<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Identity Guard will monitor personal information like your Home title, Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account.\u00a0 They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the best parts of using <\/span>Identity Guard<\/span><\/a> includes identity theft insurance of up to <\/span>1 million dollars to cover losses and legal fees<\/b> and a<\/span> white glove fraud resolution team where a US-based case manager <\/b>helps you recover any losses.<\/span><\/p>\n Special for CyberGuy Readers:\u00a0 <\/b>Save up to 51% with my top recommendation is <\/span>Identity Guard<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Read more of my review of best identity theft protection services here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Best identity theft protection services 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/h2>\n
Who else has been affected?<\/h2>\n
How did this data breach happen?<\/h2>\n
Has the stolen data been sold or released?<\/h2>\n
Who is taking responsibility for the attack?<\/h2>\n
What if my information was compromised?<\/h2>\n
Steps to take to protect yourself against identity fraud<\/h3>\n
1) Monitor your accounts<\/h4>\n
2) Place a fraud alert<\/h4>\n
3) Check your credit reports<\/h4>\n
4) Freeze your credit<\/h4>\n
5) Invest in identity theft protection<\/h4>\n