Equifax Breach Warning

On Sept. 7, Equifax, one of three major consumer credit reporting agencies, disclosed a data breach that impacted approximately 143 million U.S. consumers and their personally identifiable information, including:

  • Names
  • Social Security Numbers
  • Birth dates
  • Addresses
  • Driver’s license numbers (in some instances)
  • Credit card numbers (for 209,000 consumers)

Given the scope and nature of this data breach, OIT Security and Compliance (S&C) anticipates that many members of the NC State community might have had their data disclosed and might receive fraudulent emails related to the breach.

To protect your personal data, S&C recommends the following actions:

  • Visit the “Potential Impact” section of Equifax’s Cybersecurity Incident & Important Consumer Information website to determine if your information was included in the Equifax breach. Equifax is currently offering complimentary identity theft protection to its customers.
  • Consider a free credit freeze to limit an identity thief’s ability to access your credit information. See the NC Department of Justice website for more information.  
  • Beware of phishing messages and scams from fake identity theft protection services. An identity thief might attempt to use news of this breach to entice victims to disclose personal information. Report any suspicious messages by sending them to abuse@ncsu.edu.