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The personal data of the Americans now spread on digital platforms than ever. From online shopping practice to fitness tracking logs, personal information ends in hundreds of companies. If most people are worried about social media leakage or email differences, there is a threat to less visible by data brokers.
It is still difficult for me to believe that companies like these are allowed to work with legal verification. These institutions trade in personal information without our knowledge or consent. Further disrupting me is not serious about protecting one thing that is the center of their business model: data.
Just last year, we saw the news of a huge data violation in the National Public Data Broker, which is, that is 2.7 billion records have been revealed. And now another data broker, Lexisnexis, the main name of the industry, has reported a significant violation of revealing sensitive information from over 364,000 people.
Hacker at work (Kurt “Cybergui” Natson)
Lexisnexis violation was not detected for months after a holiday hack
Lexisnexis submitted Note with Maine Attorney General It reveals that hacker has entered customer data through a third party software development platform. This violation occurred on December 25, 2024, but the company discovered it only months later. Lexisnexis was warned by an unnamed person on April 1, 2025, claiming to have found micro files. It is not clear whether this person has caused a violation or has seen the data revealed.
Massive data violation reveals 184 million passwords and logins
A spokesman for LexisNexis confirmed that the Hacker’s Githaub account was admitted. It is a common platform for developers to collect and cooperate in the code. Security guidelines repeatedly warn against collecting sensitive information in such repository; However, there are mistakes such as exposed access tokens and personal data files.
The stolen data varies from person to person but includes full names, birthdays, phone numbers, mailing and email addresses, social security numbers and driver’s license numbers. Lexisnexis has not confirmed whether any extortion is in demand or has more contact with the attacker.
A man is working on their laptop (Kurt “Cybergui” Natson)
Custom Data Removal: Why is this important for personal information online
Lexsnexis hack why is it a bigger threat than you realize you
Lexisnexis is not a home name for most people, but it plays an important role in how personal data are harvested and used behind the scenes. The company pulls information from a wide range of sources, compiling detailed profiles that will help you assess the risk to other businesses and to detect fraud. Its customers include banks, insurance companies and government companies.
In 2023, several car manufacturers were sharing driving data with lexisnexis without informing the vehicle owner, the New York Times reported. That information was later sold to insurance companies, which used to set up premiums based on personal driving behavior. The story clarified one thing. Lexisnexis is also accessible to personal details from people who have never been involved in self -ing by the company.
Laxisnexis also uses tools to dig information of law enforcement suspects. These systems provide access to phone records, home addresses and other historical data. Although such devices can help investigate, they highlight a serious problem. When this more sensitive information is concentrated in one place, it becomes the same point of failure. And as the latest violation shows, that failure is no longer fictional.
Hacker at work (Kurt “Cybergui” Natson)
Massive data violation reveals 184 million passwords and logins
7 experts’ tips to protect your personal data after a data broker violation
Keeping your personal data online can be enormous, but some practical steps can make a big difference in protecting your privacy and reducing your digital footprint. Here are 7 effective ways to achieve grip on your information and keep it out of the wrong hand:
1. Remove your data from the internet: The most effective way to get grip on your data and avoid selling data brokers is to choose data removal services. While any service that removes all your data from the internet, it is great to have a removal service if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of constantly removing your information from hundreds of sites. Check out my top options here for data removal services.
Get a A free scan To find out if your personal information is already on the web.
2. Check Privacy Settings: Take a few minutes to explore Privacy and Security Settings In the services you use. For example, who can see your social media posts, disable unnecessary space allocation on your phone, and consider to turn off advertising personalization on accounts like Google and Facebook. Most browsers allow you to block third -party cookies or clear tracking data. The FTC suggests to select the ones that allow you to quit the allocation of different sites and apps and quit the allocation when possible.
3. Use Privacy Friendly Tools: Emphasize Browser extensions Or plugins that block ads and trackers (such as Ublock Origin or Privacy Badger). You can replace a more private search engine (like Duckdakgo or Brave) that you don’t log your questions. Consider using the browser’s “unknown” or private mode when you don’t want to save your history and clear your cookies and cache regularly. Even small practices, logging out of accounts or using a password manager when it is not in use, makes you less track.
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4. Be careful about phishing links and use strong antivirus software: Scammers can try to gain access to your financial details and other important data using phishing links. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links is to install antivirus software on all your devices. This protection will secure your personal information and digital assets and alert you to fishing emails and ransomware scandals. Get my pick for the best 2025 antivirus protection winner for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
5. Be careful with personal data: Think twice before sharing additional details. Do not fill out online surveys or quizs that ask for personal or financial information unless you trust the source. Create separate email addresses for signups (so that marketing emails don’t go to your main inbox). Download apps from official stores only and check the application permissions.
6. Stay out of data broker lists: Many Data broker Give your information out of or delete your information, though it is a tedious process. For example, there are sites such as the Clearing House of Privacy Rights or the WhitePages out -of -the -front page, which lists popular brokers and their excluding procedures. FTC’s customer guide, “Your guide to protect your privacy online,” Staying out of the proposed advertisements and includes suggestions to eliminate you from people-carcasses. Keep in mind that you may need to repeat this every few months.
7. Be wary of mailbox communications: Bad actors can try to scam you by snail mail. Data leakage gives access to your address. They can pretend to be like people or brands you know and can use themes that require emergency attention, such as missed balls, account suspects and security warnings.
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For many, the Lexnxis violation They may first realize how much their data is in circulation. Unlike the social media platform or bank, the data broker has nothing to do with the broker, and it makes it difficult to seek transparency. This incident should inspire serious debate about what kind of supervision is necessary in the industries that operate in the shadows. More informative public and strong control can be the only things that stand between personal data and permanent exposure.
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