Post: #26

Foreign criminals are the benefactors of these hacks almost always. Get in on a Visa and spend away then ghost. The banks go after the innocent person and they cannot get the debts cleared. Keep reading stories about this stuff and it baffles me how the banks, justice system and government bend people over through no fault of their own.

Post: #27

This is a good site to see if you have been compromised when it comes to any breach. But given that it's fucking Equifax they will tell what you already know.

https://haveibeencompromised.com

And here's a blog called Krebs on Security. Like John Michael Kane he also advises a security freeze on credit cards.

http://krebsonsecurity.com

A post on security freezing credit cards.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/06/how-...ty-freeze/

Post: #28

I just froze all my accounts with the four credit companies, i.e. Equifax, Experian, Transunion, and Innovis. Strongly suggest you do the same. It's free for Equifax and it'll cost you $10 with Experian, and Transunion. Great business to be in I guess, they fuck up and we get to pay to secure our info. Fuckers.

Post: #29

Quote:The recent hack of Equifax has created widespread concern among many Americans, as the hack has apparently exposed the private information of more than 143 million people.

The hackers have now made a ransom demand, stating on a Darkweb site that they will delete the data for a ransom payment of 600 BTC, worth approximately $2.6 mln. The demand said that if they do not receive the funds from Equifax by September 15th, they will publicize the data.

In the ransom demand the hackers said:

"We are two people trying to solve our lives and those of our families. We did not expect to get as much information as we did, nor do we want to affect any citizen. But we need to monetize the information as soon as possible.”

The hackers did say that, should they be forced to publicize the data, they would retain the credit card numbers, indicating that they may intend to sell or utilize those for additional profit.

This hack has created a stir, especially after it was revealed that three Equifax executives sold almost $18 mln in stock just before news of the hack was made public.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/equifax-h...in-or-else

Post: #30

It will be really fascinating to see if they will pay up. $2.6 million in BTC isn't that much money for a company like Equifax, especially if they can confirm the data has been deleted without being leaked. That would be the hard part, confirming the criminals wouldn't break their end of the bargain. Even still, if they think it could limit their liability of other sensitive information, it wouldn't surprise me to see an effort to pay up. Nice to see that the senior managers dumped $18m in stock. What a bunch of bastards. Really hope the DOJ throws the book at them, but sadly, white collar crime has been under-prosecuted for years in this country.

Post: #31

(09-08-2017 12:03 PM)Silver_Tube Wrote:  The equifax chief of security was clearly hired based on merit, check out her credentials:

This chick needs to go back to playing the Baritone professionally.

Post: #32

I tried putting a freeze on Equifax by there website and keep getting a check back later message. They must be swamped with requests. Anyone else have problems?

Post: #33

Equifax just made their freezing service free until the 22nd of this month, and there are plans to unify the freeze among agencies.

If you can get it to work.

By the way, do NOT sign up for their free security service. The contract waives your right to class action.

Post: #34

I went to their page where you put in you name and social security number to see if you are impacted. I put in a fake name and ss and it said I was potentially impacted. What a crock of shit. America is run by gangsters.

Post: #35

According to a USA Today article, it is difficult to get into every credit bureau.

"Equifax data breach: I tried to freeze my credit. There were problems."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/201...663014001/

Post: #36

(09-09-2017 07:21 AM)redpillage Wrote:  I just froze all my accounts with the four credit companies, i.e. Equifax, Experian, Transunion, and Innovis. Strongly suggest you do the same. It's free for Equifax and it'll cost you $10 with Experian, and Transunion. Great business to be in I guess, they fuck up and we get to pay to secure our info. Fuckers.

This seems insane. Basically is the following true?

*We are going to have to permenantly freeze our credit until the day we die unless a overhaul comes out. You're info is out there forever. It's not like we can do this for 2 years and it's over.

*Even if we do freeze out credit from for companies isn't there other things affected such as passport, insurance, pension..etc. It's literally you're identity.

This should be an extinction level event for Equifax.

Post: #37

Starting to feel fishy about this "breach". Execs sold stock after few days the company found out about it and waited more than a month to reveal the news. Perhaps it is a great way to instill a shiver down your spine, enough to open up your wallet and pony up the $10 credit freeze fees for other bureaus and enroll in Equifax's plethora of services. I dunno but I keep getting a strange feeling that it seems to have been all planned out to generate revenue. If Equifax comes out of this unscathed or with minor penalties, my feelings will only get stronger.

Post: #38

I have a question. I placed a security freeze on Transunion. I then tried to put a security freeze on Equifax. But equifax would only give me the option to lift a freeze. So it seems like a freeze was already put on.

Then I went to the website for Equifax to get their number and when I call their number, a voice says they are Transunion. Every Equifax number identifies as Transunion. Does putting a security freeze on Transunion automatically put a freeze on Equifax? How do I get a live representative on Equifax?

Post: #39

Equifax, under pressure from citizens and government, has waived the credit freeze fees through November. I'd continue to try and freeze Equifax, Transunion and Experian unless you're applying for credit right here, right now. Keep everything frozen until you need to apply for credit. Equifax is run by incompetent corporate criminals that deserve jail time for this massive boondoggle.

Post: #40

They pretty much scrubbed all videos and social media posts from the Chief Composition Office Susan Maudlin, but you can still find her referenced in a few places. Funny how the regular news and the Equifax site makes zero reference to her - pussy pass at work. Wonder if she was one of the executives who sold stock before the breach was announced?

Post: #41

(09-14-2017 11:58 AM)Bluto Wrote:  This chick needs to go back to playing the Baritone professionally.

If she was good to begin with the Baritone, she wouldn't be the chief security officer.

Post: #42

(09-15-2017 12:55 PM)Thersites Wrote:  

(09-14-2017 11:58 AM)Bluto Wrote:  This chick needs to go back to playing the Baritone professionally.

If she was good to begin with the Baritone, she wouldn't be the chief security officer.

1: No one cares about the Baritone. It is the appendix of instruments. It is where no one can do any damage in the Band or Symphony, and a good place for her now. If anyone was conned into playing Baritone as opposed to something cool like the Trombone or something with dignity like the Tuba, than that is something that I would repress as a child hood trauma.

2: If she was piss poor at the Baritone, than she does not have the qualifications for cutting my lawn let alone handling the network security for my credit reports.

3: Given the pictures, she certainly does not qualify for being a stripper either.

Please note the sarcasm mingled with the truth.

Post: #43

Look, to be blunt, her education being in music does not have any bearing on ones ability to work in IT or be in the security field.

I've known some highly intelligent and successful people with woefully irrelevant degrees working in high tech. The only place where the type of degree type matters is academia.

Now, the correct questions people are now asking is what was her information security experience? Her linked in has nothing exploring her past but supposedly she previously worked in a security role.

To be honest, I have a sneaking suspicion she was put into her position because she has a unique set of genitals and not because of her professional competency. Especially considering they're now scrubbing her existence on the internet. Thankfully Zerohedge and other media outlets are starting to ask this question and smart internet achievers are pulling saving what digital footprint she did have.

Post: #44

I finally got the automated system on Equifax which told me that I have a security freeze. So apparently one of my multiple online attempts was successful. The problem is they never gave me a pin number. When I try to get a human on the phone there is always a busy signal. So now I can never lift the freeze if I need too. This is turning out to be a huge waste of time. It was probably better not to do anything.

Post: #45

(09-15-2017 07:36 PM)The Beast1 Wrote:  Look, to be blunt, her education being in music does not have any bearing on ones ability to work in IT or be in the security field.

I've known some highly intelligent and successful people with woefully irrelevant degrees working in high tech. The only place where the type of degree type matters is academia.

Maybe so, but this isn't an ordinary role, it's a CSO role for a large company with an incredibly sensitive data set on almost have the country. Given this, whoever approved her hiring obviously didn't consider the optics of the situation should things go wrong. As it turns out, "went wrong" is an understatement of how things went with Equifax. The vulnerability was wide open for two months after it was discovered. A critical patch was available and it wasn't applied - that is squarely and absolutely on this idiot woman's head. She is responsible for everything her department does or fails to do, and for whatever reason it wasn't done.

This situation will hopefully ring bells in C-Suites around the country. Lessons learned - don't cheap out on cybersecurity and don't make hires for stupid reasons - whether it's diversity, gender-forward nonsense or just because your brother in law Bob needs a job. You'd be surprised how many people working in tech for these companies started out in the mail room and hung around long enough to get promoted. Eventually they got tasked with handling security too, so what the hell, right? Ain't that hard to do, let Bob handle it.

Equifax obviously was not that forward thinking and probably tone deaf to the reality of something happening even with the best preparation (which this obviously was not). Imagine the phone calls now:"A fucking music major in charge of securing my personal data?!"

Quote:Now, the correct questions people are now asking is what was her information security experience? Her linked in has nothing exploring her past but supposedly she previously worked in a security role.

To be honest, I have a sneaking suspicion she was put into her position because she has a unique set of genitals and not because of her professional competency. Especially considering they're now scrubbing her existence on the internet. Thankfully Zerohedge and other media outlets are starting to ask this question and smart internet achievers are pulling saving what digital footprint she did have.

Indeed. Hard to say now that the profile is scrubbed, but it doesn't appear she had any certifications like CISSP, CEH, or even Security+. Even a graduate program in security management would be a plus instead of that utterly useless MFA in music. Good god....

Whaddya know, Zerohedge just reported that Equifax announced she will be retiring.

Post: #46

This is my European ignorance speaking here, but I still don't get how a private company has so much private information about people?

Did you give it to them willingly, did they gather it on their own... how does this work?

I don't see the need for anyone except myself to know this stuff. Not even my own bank knows so much about me.


Why would I trust a bunch of people I don't know with this sensitive information? Is it mandatory for an American citizen?


Honest questions, I just don't get it.

Post: #47

In the US, our laws for protecting personal information are weak relative to the European laws. Part of this is no doubt a result of our relatively much stronger protection of freedom of speech: if information is communicated publicly about a person, such as through public records (court cases, arrest records, etc.), the government has no right to tell people to "forget" such information, or not to collect it into private databases--after all, it IS public information.

Post: #48

If you want any kind of a loan, you need a clean credit report. Equifax is one of about three companies that maintains that information, whether the US population really understands that relationship or not. We are not so much customers of their service but our information is a product.

The only way not to participate is to live like an Amish farmer. In other words, never take out a loan, never get a credit card, never open a bank account, get a car loan, apply for a mortgage, or rent an apartment (yeah, smart landlords check credit histories too - I know I do). As flawed as this relationship is, a credit report detailing bill paying history speaks volumes about the person's likelihood of repaying a loan made to them in the future. Character matters.

Post: #49

(09-16-2017 09:39 AM)Stallion Wrote:  This is my European ignorance speaking here, but I still don't get how a private company has so much private information about people?

Did you give it to them willingly, did they gather it on their own... how does this work?

I don't see the need for anyone except myself to know this stuff. Not even my own bank knows so much about me.


Why would I trust a bunch of people I don't know with this sensitive information? Is it mandatory for an American citizen?


Honest questions, I just don't get it.

In the US, every citizen has a social security number. Though this number was never intended to be used this way, it has become a de facto national identification number because every citizen has one, and it is unique per citizen.

When an adult citizen applies for credit (bank loan, credit card, mortgage, etc.) the lender inquires to one or more of the four bureaus about the credit-worthiness of the applicant -- this triggers the creation of a file on the applicant at those bureaus. This file follows the person for the rest of his life.

Every piece of information you supplied on the credit application (address, DOB, employment history, spouse, and, most importantly, social security number) is provided to the credit bureaus as part of the inquiry.

So, is providing our personal information to the credit bureaus mandatory in the USA? No. If you never apply for credit, and live on a cash-only basis all your life, the credit bureaus do not have a file on you. Of course, this is impossible to do and still live a normal life, so for practical purposes yes, providing this information to the bureaus is mandatory for adults in the USA.

Also, American citizens have no choice regarding assignment of a social security number. They "strongly encourage" new parents at the maternity ward to apply for a number for their new baby before leaving the hospital.

Post: #50

Thanks for all that responded, now it makes more sense.

It does work completely different in Europe.