Fergie's Tech Blog

LexisNexis Warns of Consumer Database Breaches

Brian Krebs writes on Security Fix:

Last month, Security Fix wrote that scam artists were trying to steal the login credentials that law enforcement officers use to access their accounts at Accurint, a database operated by LexisNexis owner ReedElsevier that contains highly detailed and personal files on millions of Americans.

It would seem as though those efforts have been successful.

The company recently sent out an undetermined number of letters to consumers across the country, stating that "...a law enforcement customer's user ID may have been used in an unauthorized manner that allowed some personal information about you to be viewed..." The letter, dated May 25, said thieves had accessed the recipient's personal data, which may have included the victim's name, address, Social Security and/or drivers license number. It also offered free Equifax monitoring through a promotional code.

Sources familiar with the incident said the letters were sent after it was discovered that a number of accounts were compromised at a federal law enforcement agency, though the source declined to say which agency was targeted.

posted by Fergie @ 6/21/2007 09:01:00 PM