Florida DMV Says Breach Exposed Driver's License and Vehicle Records
Florida's DMV says a Sept. 4 breach exposed driver's license and vehicle records after credentials were improperly stored.
In a notice posted Friday, the department confirmed that a malicious actor accessed certain department records on Sept. 4 using compromised credentials. It said law enforcement determined the potentially affected information includes driver license and motor vehicle data, including document images, and other personal information. The department said there is no evidence the data has been misused.
FLHSMV said an international cybercriminal organization was behind the breach but did not specify which group or how long it had access. The department said it promptly mitigated the breach, launched an investigation and issued required notification to state authorities. Mitigations included blocking unauthorized access, resetting relevant user credentials, engaging cybersecurity professionals and implementing additional safeguards to protect sensitive information.
The investigation is ongoing. According to the report, the ShinyHunters group has been linked to the intrusion and may have stolen the data. ShinyHunters recently claimed credit for hacking the FBI, the report said. The department's public description did not name the group.
Affected Florida residents will receive a letter offering one year of free credit monitoring through Sontiq, Inc., the department said. Residents whose contact information is outdated can email customerinquiry@flhsmv.gov to determine whether their data was compromised.