Technology
Massive criminal records leak exposes 70M Americans' personal information
A group of cybercriminals leaked a database containing criminal records of 70 million Americans, according to cybersecurity company Malwarebytes.
The leak contained people’s full names, dates of birth, known aliases, postal addresses, dates of arrest, dates of conviction, sentences and more.
This is bad news for anyone who has been convicted in the past.
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Hacker typing on a keyboard. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What happened: Detailed analysis of the incident
Malwarebytes posted the news of this data leak on its its blog. The wording suggests the company didn’t have direct access to the leaked database. Still, the post revealed plenty of information about the incident and the threat actors behind the attack.
The hacking groups EquationCorp and USDoD are reportedly responsible for a major data breach involving the criminal record database. The breach, which resulted in the online leak of the database, contains 70 million entries. It includes the full names, dates of birth, known aliases, addresses, arrest and conviction dates, sentences and other information of millions of Americans who had encounters with the U.S. justice system between 2020 and 2024.
We contacted Malwarebytes and spoke with Pieter Arntz, a security researcher at the company, who informed us that they were able to obtain a small sample of the criminal records, which are specific to individual incidents. Each entry represents either an arrest or a case rather than a comprehensive compilation of all crimes committed by a single person. In other words, these records provide a snapshot of discrete legal events rather than a comprehensive overview of an individual’s criminal history.
The exact source of this database is unknown. However, the hacker group USDoD, a major player in the field, is closely linked to “Pompompurin,” the operator of the original data leak site BreachForums. According to Malwarebytes, USDoD plans to create a successor to the second version of BreachForums, which was recently shut down by law enforcement. By releasing this database, USDoD might be trying to attract new users.
The same hacker is also believed to be involved in a breach at TransUnion, the data from which was partly dumped in September 2023.
A man with handcuffs on. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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What does this data leak mean for you?
If you’ve had a run-in with the law before, there’s a good chance that a bunch of the info you shared with law enforcement is now out there on the web. The exposure of such a comprehensive criminal database could have significant implications for law enforcement, judicial proceedings and the individuals mentioned within the dataset.
The hackers who pulled off the leak might be looking to make a quick buck by selling your data to shady characters on the dark web. They might also try to con you by pretending to be someone you trust or a legit company, aiming to get their hands on some cash.
This much bulk data can also be used by bad actors to threaten, harass and blackmail people with records similar to the Ashley Madison breach. For the unaware, In July 2015, a hacker group calling itself “The Impact Team” stole the user data of Ashley Madison, a commercial website billed as enabling extramarital affairs. These hackers copied personal information from the user base and threatened to expose users’ names and personal details unless Ashley Madison shut down right away.
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A woman working on her laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
SNEAKY SPYWARE IS AFTER YOUR MOST SENSITIVE DATA
6 measures to take to protect yourself from a data breach
If you suspect you’ve been impacted by this data breach, follow these steps to protect your personal data and privacy.
1. Invest in identity theft protection: If you think your personal data has been leaked, scammers may try to impersonate you to gain access to your private information. The best thing you can do to protect yourself from this type of fraud is to subscribe to an identity theft service.
Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
2. Place a fraud alert: Contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) and request a fraud alert to be placed on your credit file. This will make it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name without verification.
3. Be cautious of phishing attempts: Be vigilant about emails, phone calls or messages from unknown sources asking for personal information. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or providing sensitive details unless you can verify the legitimacy of the request.
The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.
4. Check Social Security benefits: It is crucial to periodically check your Social Security benefits to ensure they have not been tampered with or altered in any way, safeguarding your financial security and preventing potential fraud.
5. Invest in removal services: While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for removal services here.
6. Change your password: You can render a stolen password useless to thieves simply by changing it. Opt for a strong password — one you don’t use elsewhere. Even better, consider letting a password manager generate one for you.
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Kurt’s key takeaway
The fact that threat actors were able to leak such a comprehensive amount of data suggests serious loopholes in government systems. These issues need to be addressed to prevent data breaches like this from exposing people’s personal information. As there is currently no advisory from the government, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands. Stay extra vigilant against identity theft and targeted phishing attacks.
Have you ever been a victim of a data breach? If yes, what steps did you take to protect your personal data? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”
Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.
This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”
Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”
Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”
UCF commencement speaker Gloria Caulfield (University of Central Florida via Storyful)
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IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’
– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age
– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member
TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.
A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)
BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.
TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.
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FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.
ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.
BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
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Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
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