Country : USA
Year Published: 2019
Language: English
Sector: Protecting Privacy and Sensitive Data
Issue: Consumer reporting agencies are companies that collect, maintain, and sell vast amounts of sensitive data. In 2017, a breach at Equifax, one of the largest of these companies, compromised at least 145.5 million consumers' data. Consumers have little control over what information these companies have, so federal oversight is important—and it could be improved. GAO recommended improving federal enforcement of data safeguards and oversight of these companies' security practices.