CFPB data breach Equifax privacy
EPIC Urges Senate to Investigate Mulvaney’s Failure to Pursue Equifax Probe
According to recent reports, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has shut down the investigation of the 2017 Equifax data breach that exposed the personal data of 145.5 million Americans. CFPB Acting Director Mulvaney failed to seek subpoenas or obtain sworn testimony from Equifax executives. Mr. Mulvaney also ended plans to test Equifax’s security systems, and rejected offers from regulators to assist with the investigation. EPIC urged the Senate Banking Committee to investigate, stating: “If the reports are accurate, Director Mulvaney’s failure to pursue a thorough investigation of the Equifax matter verges on malfeasance.” Last fall, EPIC President Marc Rotenberg testified at a Senate hearing on the Equifax breach. EPIC described the data breach as one of the worst in U.S. history. EPIC’s Christine Bannan also proposed steps to strengthen data protection safeguards for American consumers.