Home / Crime and Justice / 1 Billion SSNs Exposed Online!
1 Billion SSNs Exposed Online!
20 Feb
Summary
- Exposed database contained 1 billion Social Security numbers.
- Database also included billions of email addresses and passwords.
- Information may have been leaked from previous data breaches.
A cybersecurity vendor has uncovered an exposed online database potentially storing up to 1 billion Social Security numbers (SSNs). The database, found using Elasticsearch, contained billions of records, including email addresses and passwords, alongside another dataset with SSNs.
This discovery is highly concerning, as stolen SSNs can be exploited for identity theft. The method of data collection is unknown, but it's speculated to stem from various breaches over the years, including a 2024 incident involving a background check provider.
UpGuard sampled 2.8 million records from one SSN dataset, finding over 1.4 million unique SSNs, suggesting the total could reach 1.08 billion. Despite some data appearing redundant or fabricated, personal information of individuals was confirmed to be present.
The issue was reported to the FBI and the German hosting provider Hetzner, which has since taken action to remove the data. This incident highlights the persistent risk of personal information falling into the wrong hands.
