ShinyHunters breach Florida DMV database, dump hundreds of thousands of records
Original: Hackers publish thousands of drivers’ data after breaching Florida motor vehicle database
Why This Matters
Two major identity-data breaches in one month signals serious exposure in government and verification infrastructure.
Hacking group ShinyHunters published hundreds of thousands of files stolen from Florida's DAVID motor vehicle database after the state refused to pay a ransom. FLHSMV confirmed the breach, which began when hackers obtained a police officer's credentials stored on a personal device. Records include vehicle ownership data, SSNs, and immigration documents.
The ShinyHunters hacking group has published hundreds of thousands of files stolen from Florida's DAVID (Driver And Vehicle Information Database) after the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency (FLHSMV) declined to pay or negotiate. The group stated it released the data publicly 'because the victim did not pay a ransom or cooperate and comply' with their demands.
FLHSMV confirmed the breach last week, attributing initial access to compromised credentials belonging to a police officer — credentials that were stored on a personal device rather than a secured system. The agency has not responded to follow-up questions about the published data.
TechCrunch reviewed a copy of the stolen files and found hundreds of thousands of vehicle ownership certificates containing buyer and seller names, addresses, and vehicle identification numbers (VINs). A smaller subset of records also included Social Security numbers, non-U.S. passports, and immigration documents. Driver's license images and photos do not appear to have been included.
As proof of the breach, the hackers posted a screenshot of a record tied to the late Jeffrey Epstein, who held a Florida residence. The incident follows a separate, larger breach at identity verification firm IDScan earlier this month, in which attackers stole over 150 million driver's license images.