The data obtained varies by individual, but includes names, birth dates, addresses and social security numbers, as well as – in some cases – driver’s licence numbers. Some 209,000 people have also had their credit card numbers stolen.





“This is clearly a disappointing event for our company, and one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do,” Richard F Smith, Equifax chairman and CEO, wrote in a company statement. “I apologize to consumers and our business customers for the concern and frustration this causes.”





While news is still emerging about the extent and complexity of the breach, it is clear that this is a very severe incident.





However, what is arguably more worrying is that it appears that Equifax has utterly failed in learning from other similar breaches in the past, suggesting that major companies are not doing anywhere near enough to prevent history from repeating itself.