The social security numbers of at least 26 million Americans have been exposed in what has been labelled the ‘largest breach in US history’. Data was stolen from Conduent, which handles data for corporations, healthcare providers and state agencies, with the firm confirming that an ‘unauthorized third party’ accessed their systems between October 21, 2024, and January 13, 2025. (Picture: Getty Images)
More than 15 million residents in Texas have had their details compromised, as well as more than 10 million people in Oregon and hundreds of thousands in states including Delaware, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, who received breach notifications, Daily Mail reports. In a notice on its website, Conduent said: ‘The personal information contained in these files may have included name, social security number, medical information, and health insurance information. Not every data element was present for every individual.’ (Picture: Getty Images)
Conduent said it spotted the breach on January 13, 2025, adding that it is ‘unaware of any attempted or actual misuse of any information involved in this incident’ as yet. The company sent out notification letters to inform those impacted by the hack and set up a dedicated phone line on (855) 291-2605 to answer questions or talk to individuals who believe they may have been affected but hadn’t been contacted. (Picture: Getty Images)
Its statement added: ‘Our investigation determined that an unauthorized third party accessed our environment from October 21, 2024, to January 13, 2025, and obtained some files that contained individuals’ personal information, which came into our possession due to the services that we provide to your current and former health plan. In addition to this notice, we are providing notice to individuals whose protected personal information was contained in the affected files. The personal information contained in these files may have included name, social security number, medical information, and health insurance information. Not every data element was present for every individual.’ (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We sincerely regret any inconvenience this incident may cause affected individuals. Upon discovery, we secured our network, notified law enforcement authorities, and safely restored our systems and operations.’ Safepay ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to cybersecurity outlet Bleeping Computer, obtaining more than eight terabytes of data. (Picture: Getty Images)
It isn’t clear if the hackers have demanded a ransom. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said: ‘The Conduent data breach was likely the largest breach in US history. If any insurance giant cut corners or has information that could help us prevent breaches like this in the future, I will work to uncover it. My office is committed to uncovering exactly what went wrong, taking action to protect Texas families, and ensuring there is justice for any negligence.’ (Picture: Getty Images)
The breach is likely to have a more long-term impact than in cases such as when credit card data is stolen as cards can be easily cancelled and changed, unlike social security numbers and health records. Experts advise that, for those affected, placing a credit freeze with major credit bureaus, such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, can prevent new accounts being opened in your name. Similarly, you can request a fraud alert to be placed on your credit file, which will then require lenders to verify your identity before approving new credit. You should also regularly check bank statements and credit reports for any suspicious activity. (Picture: Getty Images)
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