Cybersecurity News You Can Use
National Public Data is a website that lets anyone look up personal information like your home address, phone number, birthdate, and family connections without your consent. The site has a troubling history, including a massive data breach in 2024 that exposed millions of Social Security numbers and phone records.
Even though the company has changed hands, the site continues to make people’s private information available to strangers, scammers, and identity thieves.
Opting out won’t erase you from the internet, but it does remove an easy way for bad actors to find information about you.
How to Opt Out of
National Public Data
- Go to nationalpublicdata.com and search for your name.
- Open your full profile page and copy its web address.
- Visit the opt-out page: nationalpublicdata.com/optout.html.
- Paste your profile URL into the form, enter your email, and click “Request Removal.”
- Check your email (check your spam folder if you don’t see the email) and click the confirmation link.
- Return to the website in a few days to confirm your profile has been removed.
Guess the 5-letter word.
You have 5 tries.
Correct letter, correct spot.
Correct letter, incorrect spot.
Wrong letter.
Hint: Pretending to be a trusted source in order to trick people into revealing information or taking an action.
Score: 0
One more thing...
Answers to Your
Cybersecurity Questions
Do you feel VPNs are necessary for better personal online security?
A VPN (a “virtual private network”) is software you install on your computer or phone that is helpful for people who travel often, work remotely, or use public Wi-Fi, since it keeps their internet activity private and secure.
It also helps those who want more online privacy or need access to region-restricted content. VPN’s don’t automatically guarantee your safety. Websites can still track you in other ways, and free or shady VPNs may actually put your data at risk.
If your home network is from a reliable internet provider and you don’t need extra privacy features, you can probably skip it without losing much protection.
I recently received information about a security incident at Alliance Life Insurance Co. I’m a retired agent. They have provided the opportunity to activate two years of free identity monitoring. Do you recommend it?
Yes, it’s a smart move to sign up for the free identity monitoring when a company you do business with has suffered a cyber breach and offers it. These services keep an eye on your credit and personal information, alerting you if someone tries to misuse your identity.
Even if only limited details were exposed, criminals can combine bits of personal data from different breaches to commit fraud. Make sure you also sign up to be notified when there is activity with your bank and credit card accounts.
I receive numerous emails stating that my Netflix account will be canceled soon due to non-payment. However, my payment always goes through, and Netflix has not interrupted my streaming. Should I be concerned?
If your Netflix payments are going through and your streaming works fine, don’t worry. The email you received is one of the 10 most common phishing scams of 2025.
Criminals send fake Netflix messages to scare people into clicking bad links or handing over account and payment details.
These emails often look convincing, but ignore the message, delete it, and if you’re concerned, check your account directly through the Netflix app or website.
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