Texas government breach exposes 3 million driver's licenses
Original: Texas government data breach allowed hackers to steal 3 million driver’s licenses and passports
Why This Matters
Major government data breach exposes millions of citizens' sensitive identity documents, raising concerns about state cybersecurity infrastructure and third-party vendor security practices.
A security incident at a Texas state government department compromised driver's license information and passport numbers for over 3 million people through a third-party vendor handling hunting and fishing license sales, according to the state attorney general.
Texas state government's cybersecurity unit detected a security incident affecting a third-party vendor that manages the state's hunting and fishing license system. The breach exposed driver's license information and passport numbers belonging to more than 3 million people. Additional compromised data includes email addresses, phone numbers, and residential addresses of affected license holders. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, which hosts the breach notice, did not specify the nature of the incident or when it occurred, and declined to name the vendor involved. The department also did not respond to requests for comment regarding whether hackers have made contact or attempted ransom demands. The incident ranks among the largest data breaches affecting Texas this year. The department has not disclosed whether law enforcement or federal agencies have been notified or are investigating the incident.