California Regulator Seeks Fine Against Data Broker After Massive Breach

California Regulator Seeks Fine Against Data Broker After Massive Breach
  • National Public Data lost hundreds of millions of Social Security numbers in a data breach in April 2024
  • The company failed to register as a data broker in California, prompting a fine from the CPPA
  • The fine is for $46,000, with the CPPA seeking payment after a Florida bankruptcy court rejected National Public Data's petition
  • The data breach affected around 270 million individuals, making it one of the largest of 2024
  • The CPPA's action is its sixth enforcement effort against a data broker, with previous actions resulting in settlement agreements
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) is taking action against National Public Data, a data broker that lost hundreds of millions of Social Security numbers in a massive data breach in April 2024. The CPPA is seeking a fine of $46,000 against the company for failing to register as a data broker in the state. National Public Data had filed for bankruptcy protection following the breach, but a Florida bankruptcy court rejected the company's petition in November 2024, allowing the CPPA to pursue the fine. The data breach, which affected around 270 million individuals, was one of the largest of 2024. The CPPA's action is its sixth enforcement effort against a data broker since its inception, with the previous five actions resulting in settlement agreements.