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Equifax's App Has Disappeared From Apple's App Store and Google Play (fastcompany.com)
From a report: Equifax's mobile app has been removed from both the iOS and Google Play app stores. According to data from AppAnnie, the app was taken down the same day Equifax announced its massive security breach (September 7). Now customers no longer have access to Equifax Mobile. For example, when iOS users attempt to access the app, they receive a pop-up requiring them to update the program. The pop-up directs users to the App Store -- where they are informed the Equifax app is no longer available. We don't know why the app came down, though Fast Company has confirmed Apple was not involved with the decision to remove Equifax from the App Store.
HA HA!
#DeleteFacebook
After a breach that big, it's hard to see them coming out of the other side as a financially sound company. Especially since it's an agency the deals with credit ratings. If you can't trust them to keep your data secure, is there any point having business with them?
I'll be here waiting for the news of their bankruptcy
If you gave me a choice between a printer and a giraffe with explosive diarrhoea, i'll get my ladder and my raincoat
For example, when iOS users attempt to access the app, they receive a pop-up requiring them to update the program. The pop-up directs users to the App Store -- where they are informed the Equifax app is no longer available.
Someone is responsible for this mess. Especially the unfortunate message that leads nowhere...Why do companies do this?
Frankly they have alot of friends in Washington (both parties) that they pay alot of money to - to buy off. The administration is loaded with people from the financial sector. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out the other side of this with not much more than a slap on the wrist and a big gain of customers in their yearly credit monitoring service that folks will pay for after that first free year.
/s
I'd prefer your prediction, but after seeing the consequences for the firms and leadership that caused and participated in the financial crisis I have very little faith in real justice happening at these levels of money and power, particularly in the financial sector.
Probably took the apps down cause the outside audit team noticed the apps were sending and receiving the financial / credit data in plain text to the customers (to go along with their security codes turning out to just be time stamps).
You are making your therapist's children very happy with how you're paying for their college.
The real problem isn't "the equifax app", whatever the fuck that is. The real problem is:
For example, when iOS users attempt to access the app, they receive a pop-up requiring them to update the program. The pop-up directs users to the App Store -- where they are informed the Equifax app is no longer available.
Do not allow ANY company that much control over your computing environment. If they don't abuse it today, they will tomorrow. Today it may be some stupid shit you don't care about. Tomorrow it will be something you do.
Personal computing used to be in the hands of its owners. If we all decide it's OK to give that control away and centralize all decision making, that is saying China has the right model about centralized control, and the model that existed from the dawn of the personal computing era in the 1970's that empowered users instead of companies was wrong.
I'm guessing they found the source of the breach....why in Gods name does anyone need mobile access to their credit report??!? What purpose did this actually serve?
Perhaps, the Equifax app was hacked and leaked credit records of others. It's possible that Equifax security was compromised in more than one way, which makes this story even worse. Furthermore, it wouldn't surprise me if Experian and TransUnion have been hacked too, but it's just been publicized yet.
Credit freezes should be free and simple to request; default would be even more ideal. As of now, in many states, one must pay much as $15 per freeze and again to thaw. Price varies widely from state to state.
Interesting how the major credit bureaus can easily offer credit freezes for free in states that require it. So it's not that they can't, but rather won't; a money grab. Prime example of government corruption (aka lobbying; legalized bribery) putting corporate interests ahead of citizens. It's no wonder so many don't respect nor trust government, but I digress. Hopefully, some good comes out of this, but as many already point out, there will likely be some government hearings, small fines, and little else. Maybe this time will be different.
This is how these things work, right?
Is the problem with mass corporate collection of sensitive consumer data that there are insufficient laws to either require opt-in or at least opt-out standards, and then once that data has been collected that there are no statutes surrounding how that data is secured?
I'm simply dumfounded that a $3 billion company like Equifax could allow their data security to be so lax, and at the same time it feels as if somehow they'll walk away with a slap in the wrist with a fine that amounts to the money it would cost them to provide a month's worth of corporate executive lunches.
Does anyone have any ideas as to how these corporate data collectors already are or could be pressured in the future to use industry standards or best practices to secure consumer data and what laws govern their punishment when they fail to implement those standards, which results in a data breach?
Equifax' customers are folks led money and others who use credit history - banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, employers, FBI, land lords, etc ....
They don't give a shit about this data breach. It's not their problem. There is also the other two big credit bureaus also.
We little people are just the product. And we have no choice. Businesses are the ones who report the information and we have no opt-out abilities.
And if someone uses the information that was taken and fucks us up, we are the ones who have to deal with it, pay the costs and clean it up. Trying to get erroneous information cleaned up with these credit bureaus is a nightmare.
That's the trouble with corporate Big Brother, we are at an extreme disadvantage and have very little recourse. This is a prime case where more government regulation is needed because business will not take responsibility for their own actions.
We need European types of privacy laws and regulations.
And I froze my credit over tens years ago, and never missed it.
Those apps were very powerful. Wanna bet that the code that works with the apps was the source of the breach? Equifax Places utilizes your GPS location to show you: * Equifax Credit Score : Average credit scores in your area * Fraud Index: The frequency of identity fraud in your area * Credit Rankings: How your credit measures up to others in your area Want more? With an eligible Equifax product, you can also: * Lock and unlock your Equifax credit file* * View alerts to key credit file changes * Check your Credit Score — anywhere, anytime * Get one stop protection if you ever lose your wallet http://www.equifax.com/mobile/
In March 2017, Equifax announced "Equifax Ignite" "Equifax Ignite Marketplace - Solutions are delivered in the form of downloadable apps that can be leveraged for visualizing and digesting applicable data, benchmarks, and trends across multiple industries." "Equifax Ignite Direct - This high-speed solution allows users to conduct their own analytics using direct access to our data warehouse, our attributes, and analytical tools. Seamless integration enables teams to self-serve as they build, test and deploy models that suit their unique needs. This will appeal to clients who have sophisticated analytics shops in house where access to data and Equifax tools can significantly enhance their own capabilities." https://finance.yahoo.com/news...
In its majestic equality, the Constitution permits rich and poor alike to spend millions of dollars to petition the government for grievances.
Where is the consumer protection agency and Senator E. Warran when you need them.
You're mistaken as to why they are being demonized. Since the Citizens United case it was decided that money is free speech. That means that companies like Equifax has significantly more influence than probably 100,000 of my peers. That is just one entity. Given how much money they are spending though I would say that are only a small problem.
I really wish we could get good campaign finance reform, to me, it is the single most important issue as it is probably the single most significant source of bad legislation. If we fixed the system so politicians weren't being bribed all the time then we could probably then fix a whole slew of other problems regardless of where you are with your politician ideology.
Jesus Christ that was embarrassing.
I just downloaded a late 2016 copy of the Equifax Android app from here:
http://www.apkmonk.com/app/com.equifax/
Going to go see what's in there now.
You're mistaken as to why they are being demonized. Since the Citizens United case it was decided that money is free speech. That means that companies like Equifax has significantly more influence than probably 100,000 of my peers. That is just one entity. Given how much money they are spending though I would say that are only a small problem.
I really wish we could get good campaign finance reform, to me, it is the single most important issue as it is probably the single most significant source of bad legislation. If we fixed the system so politicians weren't being bribed all the time then we could probably then fix a whole slew of other problems regardless of where you are with your politician ideology.
Would your "campaign finance reform" also reign in the biggest spenders of political cash?
Public employee unions spent over $1 billion in "buying votes" - and that's corrosive because it's buying government for the government by the government - AKA the Democratic Party.
Fully 21 of the top 30 political donors give all their money to Democrats
You sure you want to "take big money out of politics"? You'd cripple the Democrats.
The problem with demonizing Equifax for lobbying the government is hypocritical if you want the government to "solve problems". Equifax has every bit the same Constitutional right to "petition the government for grievances" as you do.
WTF does that mean. I have the same constitutional right to the government for all sorts of horrifying things. That doesn't mean no one should demonize me for doing it. Hell, I have a first amendment right to demonize Equifax for what they did.