26 million Americans exposed in what's being called the largest data breach in US history [View all]

A massive cybersecurity breach at Conduent, a major technology and services contractor for public programs and health insurers, has exposed the personal information of at least 26 million Americans, making it one of the largest data breaches ever recorded in the United States. Hackers infiltrated Conduent’s systems over a period of several months, gaining access to sensitive files that include names, Social Security numbers, health details and addresses tied to people across multiple states. The sheer scale of the incident has experts and state authorities warning the public to take identity protection measures seriously.

Investigators now believe that the breach began in late 2024 and continued into early 2025 before being detected and shut down, which allowed attackers to steal roughly 8 terabytes of data related to individuals served by state benefit programs and corporate clients. Reports show that states like Texas and Oregon were among the hardest hit, with millions of residents’ information potentially compromised, and the total affected continues to rise as notifications unfold.

While Conduent supports services for government and health insurance programs reaching more than 100 million people, the company has not fully disclosed the final tally of all affected individuals and is continuing notification efforts into 2026. Security analysts have labeled this incident one of the most serious in U.S. history, given the scope of personal data exposed and the prolonged period attackers had access to the systems before discovery.

What Data Was Exposed and Who Is at Risk

The compromised information reportedly includes Social Security numbers, names, home addresses, dates of birth, health insurance details and medical information tied to individuals whose data passed through Conduent’s processing systems for state programs and private health insurers. Having this type of data in the hands of unauthorized actors creates serious risks for identity theft, fraud and long-term misuse because these identifiers are often used for official verification and financial account access.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/26-million-americans-exposed-in-what-s-being-called-the-largest-data-breach-in-us-history/ar-AA1XQDJW

Was Big Balls involved?