Modern Business Solutions modbsolutions.com Modern Business Solutions data breach: what happened and what to do
In October 2016, a database of more than 58 million records attributed to Modern Business Solutions was shared publicly. It held email addresses, names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, genders, job titles and IP addresses. The company hasn't explained the incident.
View all 13,115 breaches- Breach date
- 8 Oct 2016
- Affected
- 58,843,488
- Data exposed
- Dates of birth, Email addresses, Genders, IP addresses, Job titles, Names, Phone numbers, Physical addresses
- Verified
- Yes
- Last updated
Source: Have I Been Pwned (CC BY 4.0)
What happened
In October 2016, a large MongoDB database file containing tens of millions of accounts was shared publicly on Twitter. The file has since been removed. Have I Been Pwned counts 58,843,488 accounts in it and added the breach to its service in October 2016.
The data was later attributed to Modern Business Solutions, a company that provides data storage and database hosting. Have I Been Pwned notes that the company hadn't acknowledged the incident or explained how it came to hold the data.
What was exposed
The records included email addresses, names, physical addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth. They also held genders, job titles and IP addresses. There were no passwords in the data.
Why this one is awkward
Most breaches involve a service you signed up for. This one doesn't. Modern Business Solutions was a data holder, so many people in the database never had a relationship with it. You may be in it without ever having heard of the company.
The mix of a name, home address, phone number and birth date is what makes it useful to criminals. It lets someone build a convincing profile for a phishing email, a phone scam or an attempt to pass as you with a bank or a mobile carrier. The job titles add a work angle, which helps with messages that pretend to come from an employer or a recruiter.
What to do now
Start by checking whether your email address is in the breach. Then treat unexpected contact that uses your personal details with suspicion, even when it sounds well informed.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Search your email address on Have I Been Pwned
Enter your email address to see whether it appears in this breach. Also try any older addresses you used around 2016.
- 2
Expect phishing that mentions the breach
Criminals use your name, address and job title to write messages that look personal. Don't click links in unexpected emails or texts about your account. Go to the site directly instead.
- 3
Be wary of calls about your accounts
A caller who knows your address and birth date isn't proven to be your bank or carrier. Hang up and call the number on your card or bill.
- 4
Add a PIN or passcode with your mobile carrier
Ask your carrier to require a PIN before changing your number or SIM. Leaked phone numbers and birth dates are what SIM swap attempts rely on.
- 5
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free scan with Serus to see which breaches include your email address or phone number. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you if your data shows up again.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Modern Business Solutions breach?
You can check by searching your email address on Have I Been Pwned. You may be listed even if you never dealt with the company.
What was exposed?
Email addresses, names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, genders, job titles and IP addresses.
Were passwords leaked?
No. Passwords aren't among the data types listed for this breach.
Has the company responded?
Have I Been Pwned notes that Modern Business Solutions hadn't acknowledged the incident or explained how it held the data.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
