http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2017/09/07/hackers-steal-personal-data-for-143-million-americans-from-credit-reporting-agency-equifax/ >Criminal hackers gained access to files that include the sensitive personal data — Social Security numbers, birth dates and home addresses — of 143 million Americans by penetrating a Web-based application for Equifax, the credit reporting agency said Thursday. >The breach, which the company said began in May, was discovered in July. Though Equifax said in a statement that “core database” were not penetrated, the attackers did gain access to a wide range of data for what appears to be a majority of American adults and some British and Canadian consumers as well.