Equifax data breach hits 143 million

According to Equifax report, about 143 million US customers of credit may have had information compromised in cyber security breach.

The company said, cyber-criminals accessed data such as Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses during the incident.

Some customers in the UK and Canada were affected.The firm's core consumer and commercial credit databases were not accessed.

Equifax said hackers accessed the information between mid-May and the end of July, when the company discovered the breach.

Malicious hackers won access to its systems by exploiting a "website application vulnerability", it said but provided no further details.

The hackers accessed credit card numbers for about 209,000 consumers, among other information.

Equifax chief executive Richard Smith said the incident was "disappointing" and "one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do".

"I apologise to consumers and our business customers for the concern and frustration this causes," said Richard Smith, Equifax chairman and chief executive.

"We pride ourselves on being a leader in managing and protecting data, and we are conducting a thorough review of our overall security operations."

It said it was working with law enforcement agencies to investigate and had hired a cyber-security firm to analyse what happened. The FBI is also believed to be monitoring the situation.

The company said it would work with regulators in the US, UK and Canada on next steps. It is also offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for a year.