NEW YORK (AP) –
A day after credit-reporting company Equifax disclosed that “criminals” had stolen vital data about 143 million Americans, it had somehow managed to leave much of the public in the dark about their exposure, how they should protect themselves and what Equifax planned to do for those affected.
The breach is unquestionably serious. It exposed crucial pieces of personal data that criminals could use to commit identity theft, from Social Security numbers and birthdates to address histories and legal names.
That data – the “crown jewels of personal information,” in the words of independent credit analysts John Ulzheimer – can’t be changed, and once it’s in circulation, it’s basically out there forever.
But Equifax’s response has satisfied almost no one.