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North -Americans’ personal data are now distributed by more digital platforms than ever before. From online purchasing habits to fitness tracking records, personal information ends in hundreds of company databases. While most people care about social media leaks or e -mail hacks, much less visible threat comes from data runners.
I still find it difficult to believe that companies like this can operate with so little legal scrutiny. These companies market personal information without our knowledge or consent. What puzzles me still is that they are not serious to protect the only thing that is fundamental in their business model: data.
Last year, we saw news of a mass data breach in a data agent called National Public Data, which exposed 2.7 billion records. And now another data agent, Lexisnexis, a significant name in the industry, has reported a significant breach that stated sensitive information of more than 364,000 people.
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A hacker at work (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
Lexisnexis Breach was not detected for months after holiday piracy
Lexisnexis presented a Notice with Maine Attorney General revealing that a computer pirate accessed consumer data through a third -party software development platform. Failure occurred on December 25, 2024, but the company only discovered it months later. Lexisnexis was alerted on April 1, 2025, by an unnamed individual who claimed to have found sensitive files. It is unclear whether that person was responsible for the breach or limited to the data set out.
Mass breach of data exposes 184 million passwords and login starts
A spokesman for Lexisnexis confirmed that the computer pirate accessed the company’s GitHub account. It is a platform that developers usually use to store and collaborate in the code. Security guidelines repeatedly warn the storage of sensitive information in these deposits; However, errors such as exposed access sheets and personal data files occur.
Stolen data vary from person to person, but includes full names, birth dates, telephone numbers, mail and email addresses, Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. Lexisnexis has not confirmed whether he received a rescue demand or had more contact with the attacker.

An individual who works on his laptop (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
Elimination of Custom Data
Why is Lexisnexis piracy a greater threat than you realize
Lexisnexis is not a home name for most people, but plays an important role in the harvest of personal data and used between racks. The company draws information from a wide range of sources, collecting detailed profiles that help other companies evaluate the risk and detect fraud. Its customers include banks, insurance companies and government agencies.
By 2023, the New York Times reported that several vehicle manufacturers had shared the driving data with Lexisnexis without notifying vehicle owners. This information was sold to the insurance companies, which used it to adjust the premiums based on the behavior of individual driving. The story made one thing clear. Lexisnexis has access to an impressive amount of personal details, even from people who have never voluntarily participated with the company.
The application of the law also uses lexisnexis tools to excavate information on suspects. These systems offer access to telephone records, domestic addresses and other historical data. While these tools can help in research, they also emphasize a serious problem. When such sensitive information is concentrated in a place, it becomes a single point of failure. And as the recent breach shows, this failure is no longer hypothetical.

A hacker at work (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
Mass breach of data exposes 184 million passwords and login starts
7 expert tips to protect your personal data after a breach of a data agent
Keeping the safe personal data may feel overwhelming, but some practical steps can make a big difference in protection of your privacy and reducing your digital footprint. Here are 7 effective ways to control the information and keep it out of the wrong hands:
1. Eliminate your Internet details: The most effective way to take control of your data and prevent data runners from sold is to opt for data removal services. While no service promises to delete all of your Internet data, having a delete service is excellent if you want to constantly control and automate the process of eliminating the information of hundreds of places continuously for a longer period of time. View my most important options for data removal services here.
Get a Free Exploration To know if your personal information is already on the net.
2. Review Privacy Settings: Pull a few minutes to explore the Settings of Privacy and Safety to the services you use. For example, limit who can see your social media publications, turn off the distribution of unnecessary locations on your phone and consider disabled ads in accounts such as Google and Facebook. Most browsers allow you to block third party cookies or delete tracking data. The FTC suggests comparing the privacy notices of different places and applications and choosing -ne that allow you to choose to share when possible.
3. Use tools for privacy: Install Browser extensions or plugins that block ads and trackers (such as Ublock Origin or Badger in Privacy). You can change to a more private search engine (such as Duckduckgo or Brave) not to register your queries. Consider using an “incognito” of a browser or private mode when you do not want your story to be kept and you regularly clean cookies and cache. Even small habits, such as the account session when they do not use or use a password manager, make it less easier for you.
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4. Be careful with phishing links and use strong antivirus software: The scammers may try to access your financial data and other important data through fishing links. The best way to safeguard the malicious links is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to Phishing emails and ransomware scams, maintaining safe personal information and digital assets. Get my options for the best antivirus 2025 protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
5. Be cautious with personal data: Think twice before sharing additional details. Do not fill out online surveys or questions asking for personal or financial information unless you trust the source. Create separated email addresses for records (so marketing emails do not go to your main inbox). Just download official store applications and check app permits.
6. Occupation Out of Data Runners Lists: Many data runners offer ways to deactivate or delete information, although it can be a tedious process. For example, there are sites such as privacy rights or whitepages disabling page that lists popular runners and their deactivation procedures. FTC consumer guide, “Your guide to protect your privacy online” Includes tips on directed ads opting and delete from the people’s search databases. Note that you may need to repeat it every few months.
7. Take care of mailbox communications: Bad actors can also try to scamper through the screw mail. Data filtration provides them with access to your address. People or brands can be supplanted who know and use issues that require urgent care, such as lost deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts.
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Kurt’s Key Takeaway
For many, the breach of lexisnexis may be the first time they realize the amount of their data in circulation. Unlike a social media or a bank platform, there is no clear customer relationship with a data agent, which makes it more difficult to require transparency. This incident should cause serious discussion on what kind of supervision is needed in the shade industries. More informed public and stronger regulation can be the only thing between personal data and permanent exhibition.
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