Equifax Breach Potentially Impacts 143 Million U.S. Consumers Hackers got their hands on names, credit card and Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and some driver's license numbers.

By Chloe Albanesius

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Credit reporting agency Equifax has been breached.

The company today revealed a "cybersecurity incident potentially impacting approximately 143 million U.S. consumers." Credit card numbers for about 209,000 U.S. consumers, and certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for 182,000 U.S. consumers were accessed.

Hackers also got their hands on names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and some driver's license numbers. At this point, there is "no evidence of unauthorized activity on Equifax's core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases," the company said.

Limited personal information for certain U.K. and Canadian residents was also involved in the breach, though Equifax "found no evidence that personal information of consumers in any other country has been impacted."

Criminals "exploited a U.S. website application vulnerability to gain access to certain files" between mid-May and July 29, when Equifax uncovered the breach.

"This is clearly a disappointing event for our company, and one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do. I apologize to consumers and our business customers for the concern and frustration this causes," Chairman and CEO Richard F. Smith said in a statement. "We pride ourselves on being a leader in managing and protecting data, and we are conducting a thorough review of our overall security operations. We also are focused on consumer protection and have developed a comprehensive portfolio of services to support all U.S. consumers, regardless of whether they were impacted by this incident."

If you're worried about your data, visit equifaxsecurity2017.com, where you can enter your last name and the last six digits of your Social Security number to see if you were impacted. Equifax is also offering free credit file monitoring and identity theft protection.

For more, check out PCMag's roundup of the Best Password Managers.

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, PCMag

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

This Couple Started a Side Hustle to Improve a 'Terribly Made' Bathroom Essential. Now the Business Earns More Than $3 Million a Year.

Michael Fine and Lisa Schulner-Fine launched lifestyle brand Quiet Town in 2016 and have been growing it ever since.

Business News

What's Open on Easter Sunday? Costco and Target Will Close, But One Major Retailer Will Be Open. Here's What To Know.

The stock market was closed for Good Friday on April 18. Here's what's closed for Easter Sunday, April 20.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Marketing

The One Mistake Is Putting Your Brand Reputation at Risk — and Most Startups Still Make It

Many businesses pour resources into branding and marketing but overlook PR — yet it's PR that builds the trust, credibility, and reputation that turn attention into lasting revenue in a crowded market.

Science & Technology

Your Clients Are Using AI to Replace You — Do These 3 Things Before They Do

Harness these three steps to audit, evolve and future-proof your offer before AI replaces you.

Business News

'Fully Replacing People': A Tech Investor Says These Two Professions Should Be the Most Wary of AI Taking Their Jobs

AI might replace jobs, but it also has the potential to help start new companies.