Equifax Data Breach

The Equifax data breach, which occurred in 2017, was a significant security incident where hackers accessed the personal information of approximately 147 million people. This data included names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, and addresses. The breach happened due to a vulnerability in Equifax’s website that had not been patched. As a major credit reporting agency, Equifax holds sensitive information, making the breach particularly concerning for identity theft and fraud. The incident raised awareness about data security and prompted calls for better protections for consumer information. Equifax faced legal and regulatory consequences as a result.