In 2019, Oregonians received new driver’s licenses. In 2023, Oregonians saw all those licenses stolen, along with their identities. Through a massive hack that targeted the Oregon DMV. On June 15, 2023, the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services announced that two weeks prior the agency had been hacked and that an estimated 3.5 million driver’s licenses and the “sensitive personal information” associated with them were compromised. Compromised is a mild word for what has happened here. Because what the DMV public relations department means by “sensitive personal information” is that everything and anything needed to become a driver from Oregon has been stolen. Goodbye and good luck to your identity. Because the agency withheld the information for two weeks to let the fraudster have a head start.
Chief Information Officer Thomas Amato said the agency delayed informing the public out of security concerns and because “we have been trying to put in place things to prepare Oregonians for this announcement.” The DMV clearly is concerned for the victims. He said the state didn’t want to reveal “too much evidence to the actual threat actors who could use our verification of their attack as leverage.” Use as leverage now or later! They got everything they need! Now, these identities will start being used for student loan and credit card applications over the next 3-6 months and thereafter. Will the feds filter these for fraudulent government benefits? Will these identities be filtered by agencies and lenders? No. That would mean they need to do some work and behavioral biometrics to stop the fraud.
After the news organization’s inquiry, the Department of Transportation issued a press release saying the agency was among “many organizations” affected by the breach as a result of a “global hack of the data transfer software MOVEit Transfer.” What a relief for the victims to know they aren’t the only ones! Oregon is in good company.
Today’s Fraud Of The Day is based on article “Massive hack of Oregon DMV system puts estimated 3.5 million driver license and ID card info at risk, officials say” published by The Oregonian on June 15, 2023
The Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services confirmed Thursday that an estimated 3.5 million driver’s license and identification card files were compromised when the agency was hacked two weeks ago.
Agency spokesperson Michelle Godfrey said Thursday that the agency realized on Monday — four days ago — that the breach had extended to about 90% of the state’s driver’s license and ID card files.
The Oregonian/OregonLive first made inquiries about the security breach on Wednesday; DMV officials took nearly a day to respond with answers. Godfrey said the agency planned to wait until Friday to go public because officials are still preparing agency employees for how to respond to Oregonians’ questions and concerns about how to protect themselves.
