Equifax Breach and What To Do If You Are Affected

A cybersecurity attack at Equifax, a credit reporting agency, is reported to have affected approximately 143 million people in the United States. This unauthorized access of information occurred between mid-May 2017 and July 2017. The IT Security Team wanted to get out information to our university family as soon as possible.

Equifax has stated that the information accessed included names, Social Security numbers, addresses, birth dates, and in some instances driver's license numbers. The hackers also gained access to some credit card numbers and certain dispute documents with personally identifiable information. The company reported that there is no evidence of unauthorized activity on its core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases.

The university's IT Security Team urges anyone affected by this breach to take steps to protect their online account. Steps to take are:

• Request records from the credit-reporting companies. Check with Experian and TransUnion, as well as Equifax.
• Be especially wary of links in emails. Equifax will send direct postal mail to consumers that have been affected.
• Change your passwords.
• Use two-factor authentication where possible to prevent hackers from accessing accounts.
• Check all your online accounts for suspicious activity. This includes email, bank accounts, credit cards and any other sites that contain personal information.
• Remember that Equifax will notify you in writing, not by email or telephone if you are impacted by the breach.

Elizabeth Weiss of USA Today lays out information and steps to take by anyone who has been affected by this:

What to do if you're one of the 44 percent of Americans hit by the Equifax breach

Equifax has also posted information on its website about the breach and the steps the company is taking:

• Cybersecurity Incident & Important Consumer Information

Please contact the IT Security Team at security@uark.edu or 479-575-2905 with any questions. 

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