But this strategy means that Equifax is entrenched in consumers’ financial lives whether they like it or not — or even know it. The “Big Three” credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, collect 4.5 billion pieces of data each month to feed into their credit reports. The data, over which Equifax and the other bureaus have a stranglehold, is one of the best predictors of risk. Using Equifax data, LifeLock sells identity theft protection, a booming business since the breach. From a business perspective, it will be paramount for Equifax to keep its customers — financial firms and other big companies — happy.

Source: New York Times September 23, 2017 15:00 UTC