The Infinite Brief

“It seems like this is a database with pretty much every U.S. citizen in it,” security researcher Vinny Troia, who discovered the breach earlier this month. “I don’t know where the data is coming from, but it’s one of the most comprehensive collections I’ve ever seen,” he said.

The database includes phone numbers, email and postal addresses as well as more than 400 personal characteristics, such as whether a person is a smoker, if they own a dog or cat, their religion and a multitude of personal interests.

Even though no financial information was included, the breadth of personal data could make it possible to profile individuals or help scammers steal identities.

If confirmed, the data leak would be one of the largest in history, far bigger than the Equifax data breach last year that exposed the personal information of about 148 million consumers.