FBI Probes Service Selling 153M+ Drivers Licenses
Overview
A new service on the dark web is offering digital scans of over 153 million drivers licenses from individuals in the U.S. and Canada. This data appears to have been obtained from a well-known identity verification company based in Louisiana. The FBI's New Orleans field office has initiated an investigation to trace the source of these images. This incident raises significant concerns about identity theft, as the availability of such personal information can lead to fraudulent activities. Individuals whose licenses are compromised may face risks to their financial and personal security, highlighting the need for enhanced security measures in data handling by verification companies.
Key Takeaways
- Active Exploitation: This vulnerability is being actively exploited by attackers. Immediate action is recommended.
- Affected Systems: Digital scans of drivers licenses from over 153 million individuals in the U.S. and Canada.
- Action Required: Individuals should monitor their financial accounts for suspicious activity and consider placing fraud alerts on their credit reports.
- Timeline: Newly disclosed
Original Article Summary
A new identity theft service launched on the dark web this week is selling digital scans of more than 153 million drivers licenses from people in the United States and Canada. Based on interviews with individuals whose licenses are available for purchase on this service, it appears to be siphoning images collected by a widely-used identity verification company based in Louisiana. KrebsOnSecurity also has learned that the New Orleans field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) today launched an official inquiry into the source of the images.
Impact
Digital scans of drivers licenses from over 153 million individuals in the U.S. and Canada.
Exploitation Status
This vulnerability is confirmed to be actively exploited by attackers in real-world attacks. Organizations should prioritize patching or implementing workarounds immediately.
Timeline
Newly disclosed
Remediation
Individuals should monitor their financial accounts for suspicious activity and consider placing fraud alerts on their credit reports. Companies handling sensitive data should review their data protection practices.
Additional Information
This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.
Related Topics: This incident relates to Data Breach.