- Database Verification And Validation
- Verifications.io Database Software
- Employment Verification Database
Although the databases were accessible for some time, as soon as the problem was disclosed to Verifications IO the service was taken offline and remains so. Which means that bad guys alerted. On 25 February 2019 security consultant Bob Diachenko discovered an enormous database of emails and other personal information. Diachenko found that it contained 763 million records. All the evidence pointed to a single source. Verifications.io, a self-described 'big data email verification platform.'
Nearly 1 Billion Email Accounts Exposed in Mega Breach of Verifications.io DatabaseAn email validation company that allowed marketers to verify the accuracy of their lists has leaked a massive amount of email accounts and additional Personally Identifiable Information (PII), in one of the largest data breaches ever recorded.
Cybersecurity researcher Bob Diachenko discovered an unsecured database that contained 982 million email accounts, paired with additional PII including people’s names, gender, dates of birth, employers, and home addresses. He then traced the source of the database back to the company Verifications.io, which has since removed the database, shut down their website, and apparently ceased to exist. The database of information could be accessed by anyone who knew where to look — no sophisticated hacking skills necessary.
Has Your Data Been Breached?
What’s disturbing about this latest mega breach is that no one, including security researchers, knows how it got there. Even fewer people have probably heard of the company involved.
When cybercriminals get their hands on a database of emails and other personal information as large as this, it’s a feeding ground to launch phishing attacks and other campaigns that can lead to identity theft and fraud. All it takes is two pieces of PII for a bad actor to commit synthetic identity theft, resulting in your information being used to open new bank or credit accounts, commit tax fraud, or even obtain health insurance.
The time to protect yourself, your family, and your employees is now with the industry’s best identity theft protection. Get started with a Free Trial of IdentityForce.
Steve Turner
Steve, former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Sontiq, the parent company of the IdentityForce, Cyberscout, and EZShield brands, has over 30 years of extensive experience managing security teams and continuous improvement initiatives around the security of IT systems, including disaster recovery, security, and PCI Compliance.
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Database Verification And Validation
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