Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles confirmed on Friday it was the victim of a cyberattack by an international cybercriminal organization, marking the second breach of a U.S. driver’s license database system in weeks.
The agency said it learned of the breach on Sept. 4 after hackers breached a single Plant City Police Department user’s credentials that were stored on the employee’s personal electronic device. The breach has since been contained, and law enforcement is investigating. The department did not specify what data was accessed or how long the hackers had access.
The announcement follows a separate incident involving IDscan.net, a vendor that scans driver’s licenses for private companies, which disclosed a massive data breach earlier this month. Hackers claimed to have stolen 160 million IDs, including one belonging to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, prompting federal investigations. While the two breaches are not believed to be connected, they underscore vulnerabilities in systems holding sensitive personal information.
Hackers Issue Deadline
On Sept. 11, the cybercriminal group ShinyHunters posted on its dark-web site a ransom demand for the Florida DMV breach, threatening to release hacked files if not paid. The group shared a screengrab allegedly from Florida’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database, showing the alleged driver’s license of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, including his Social Security number and vehicle registrations. NBC News has not verified the authenticity of the image.
Florida officials did not confirm whether any ransom was paid or if the hackers obtained sensitive data. The department stated in a public notice that the breach was conducted by an international cybercriminal organization and that it is working with law enforcement to assess the impact.
Scope and Response
The Florida DMV’s breach highlights growing concerns about the security of state and private databases containing driver’s license information, which is often used for identity verification. While the full extent of the breach remains unclear, the incident adds to a recent pattern of high-profile cyberattacks targeting systems with access to personal data.
State officials have not provided further details on the compromised data or the potential risks to residents. The investigation is ongoing, and additional updates are expected as authorities determine the scope of the breach and any necessary remediation steps.