Equifax Breach Extends Across The Pond

Add some breaches across the pond to Equifax’s list of victims.

Reuters reported Tuesday that the credit reporting firm has disclosed that more than 15 million United Kingdom records had been breached alongside the 145 million individuals compromised in the United States. Both countries were targeted in the same cyberattack that made headlines beginning in September.

In reference to the news affecting the U.K., of the 15.2 million records that were reported as being breached, 14.5 million – ranging from 2011 to 2016 – held information that did not put the 700,000 consumers to whom those records belonged at risk.

The Wall Street Journal reported that in the U.K., and as disclosed by Equifax, the file containing the records held “data relating to actual consumers as well as sizable test datasets, duplicates and spurious fields.”

Equifax said that it would contact those consumers by mail, offering them a range of third-party risk control products for free.

The news about Britons exposed to the data breach comes on the heels of disclosures of other nations being impacted outside the United States. As recounted by Reuters, Equifax has also said that 8,000 Canadians were affected by the hack. Similarly, Equifax will contact those consumers by mail and will offer credit monitoring services.   

In the United States, as has been well-documented by now, Equifax’s breach touched more than 145 million individuals, exposing data that included drivers’ licenses and Social Security numbers. Several investigations are underway, including a criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.

Patricio Remon, president for Equifax Europe, said in a statement that “once again, I would like to extend my most sincere apologies to anyone who has been concerned about or impacted by this criminal act. Let me take this opportunity to emphasize that protecting the data of our consumers and clients is always our top priority.”