A significant data breach has surfaced on the dark web as over 153 million digital scans of US and Canadian driver's licenses are now being offered for sale. This alarming revelation was discovered on a platform called Nexus, an identity theft service, where a threat actor has also been promoting these stolen identities on a Russian cybercrime forum. The breach includes a staggering array of documents, with more than 10 million identification cards, over 3 million travel documents and international IDs, and approximately 580,000 medical cards.
Investigative journalist Brian Krebs reported that his search on Nexus revealed these figures, with only about 1.1 million of the driver's licenses originating from Canada. The individual behind this illicit operation claims the documents were taken from an ongoing breach at an identity verification firm that collaborates with several Fortune 500 companies.
After verifying the presence of his own data on Nexus, Krebs believes these documents were likely extracted from IDScan.net, a Louisiana-based company specializing in ID fraud prevention and other verification services. This firm partners with major brands in various industries, conducting over 21 million verifications monthly.
Following the publication of Krebs' findings, the Nexus platform was reportedly taken down. However, the FBI has already begun investigating the potential breach at IDScan, as some of the compromised documents allegedly belong to FBI agents. This incident underscores the necessity for organizations to assume that identity evidence may eventually be compromised, as highlighted by Tim Rawlins of the NCC Group. He advises that companies should thoroughly inventory their identity data and establish robust protocols to manage and protect it. Individuals are also advised to limit sharing their driver's licenses unless absolutely necessary and inquire about alternatives when asked for ID verification.