A significant data breach impacted current and former Florida residents, with officials confirming unauthorized access to a department system. Florida officials stated the investigation is ongoing, though a cybercriminal group known as Shiny Hunters claimed responsibility. Shiny Hunters previously hacked the FBI and demanded a fee to prevent data leaks.
Evidence emerged when the group posted what appeared to be a driver's license belonging to the late Jeffrey Epstein on the dark web. Following this, Shiny Hunters removed mentions of Florida, suggesting ongoing negotiations between officials and the hackers to suppress the database leak. Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) attributed the breach to a criminal actor who obtained employee credentials from a local law enforcement agency.
These credentials were improperly stored on an electronic device. Mitigation efforts included blocking unauthorized access, resetting user credentials, and engaging cybersecurity professionals. The breach is separate from a recent IDscan.net incident affecting 153 million US driver's licenses.
Officials have not confirmed specifics regarding the employee involved or the exact number of affected residents, but emphasized that sensitive personal information remains highly vulnerable to future attacks facilitated by advancing AI technology.
Source: Ars Technica · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing