Petco confirms major data breach involving customer data

Petco revealed a records breach that exposed sensitive customer information The company disclosed the details in state filings after identifying a configuration in one of its system applications that made certain files accessible online This issue has now been corrected but the impact is essential Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips urgent defense alerts and special deals delivered straight to your inbox Plus you ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my CYBERGUY COM newsletterTHIRD-PARTY BREACH EXPOSES CHATGPT ACCOUNT DETAILSAccording to reports filed with the Texas attorney general's office the exposed input included names Social Safety numbers driver's license numbers financial account details credit or debit card numbers and dates of birth Filings in California Massachusetts and Montana confirm additional affected residents In California companies must statement breaches involving at least state residents Petco did not disclose the exact number which suggests the real total is higher For context Petco announced in that it served more than million customers Petco says the company sent notifications to individuals whose information was involved The sample notice published by the California attorney general explains that a platform setting allowed certain files to be accessible online Petco says it removed those files corrected the setting and added new precaution measures The company is offering free credit and identity theft monitoring to casualties in California Massachusetts and Montana It is not clear if similar patronage is being offered to affected Texas residents We reached out to Petco for comment and a representative provided CyberGuy with the following comment We in recent months identified a setting in one of our applications which inadvertently made certain Petco files accessible online Upon identifying the issue we took immediate moves to correct the error and began an study We notified individuals whose information was involved and continue to monitor for further issues We take this happening seriously To help prevent something like this from happening again we have taken and will continue to take procedures to enhance the protection of our architecture A breach that exposes cabinet IDs financial numbers and birth dates creates long-term risks Criminals use this mix of information to open accounts take over existing ones or try to pass identity checks Even if no fraud happens right away exposed information can sit in criminal markets for years You can take several approaches currently that help lower your peril and protect your identity going forward A freeze blocks new credit accounts in your name It also stops criminals from opening loans or credit cards with your stolen information You can freeze your credit for free at Equifax Experian and TransUnion Two additional freezes cover accounts that do not run through the major credit bureaus Freeze ChexSystems to stop criminals from opening checking or savings accounts Freeze NCTUE to block fake phone cable or utility accounts Turn on account alertsSet up alerts for banking credit cards and online shopping accounts Alerts help you spot suspicious activity fast Strong passwords protect you from credential stuffing attacks This happens when criminals take stolen passwords from one breach and try them on other sites A password manager creates unique passwords for every account and helps you stop those attacks before they start Next see if your email has been exposed in past breaches Our password manager see Cyberguy com pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks If you discover a match promptly change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new unique credentials Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of at Cyberguy comIf Petco offered you free identity theft monitoring enroll as soon as practicable It helps you catch fraud that can happen months or years later Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Defense 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 at Cyberguy comWHY YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING DETAILS REQUIREMENTS A CLEANUP NOWData broker sites collect and share personal details that fuel scams Removing your information reduces your exposure and makes you a harder target While no utility can guarantee the complete removal of your facts from the internet a facts removal facility is really a smart choice They aren't cheap and neither is your privacy These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the the greater part effective way to erase your personal figures from the internet By limiting the information available you reduce the menace of scammers cross-referencing input from breaches with information they might find on the dark web making it harder for them to target you Check out my top picks for statistics removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy comGet a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web Cyberguy comWHY SCAMMERS OPEN BANK ACCOUNTS IN YOUR NAMEScammers often follow a breach with emails or texts that look real Slow down and check every message before you click A strong antivirus helps block malicious links and alerts you when something looks risky The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware potentially accessing your private information is to have strong antivirus solution installed on all your devices This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams keeping your personal information and digital assets safe Get my picks for the best antivirus protection winners for your Windows Mac Android iOS devices at Cyberguy comData breaches happen often but this one involves information that can cause lasting harm You can protect yourself with a sparse quick procedures that reduce the chance of fraud and limit how far criminals can get with your details How much trust do you place in companies to protect your personal information Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips urgent prevention alerts and unique deals delivered straight to your inbox Plus you ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my CYBERGUY COM newsletterCopyright CyberGuy com All rights reserved