California Department of Motor Vehicles Details

California Department of Motor Vehicles

Sacramento, California • employees • Governments

Industry

Governments

Security Incidents

The California Department of Motor Vehicles is the state agency that registers motor vehicles and boats and issues driver licenses in the U.S. state of California.

Security Incidents

California Department of Motor Vehicles Breach of Feb 2021

Severity Score

Low to Moderate

Type

3rd Party Compromise

Summary

In February 2021, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) experienced a data breach involving a third-party vendor, Automatic Funds Transfer Services (AFTS), which was compromised by a ransomware attack. The threat actors, believed to be part of the Egregor ransomware group, gained unauthorized access to AFTS's systems, potentially exposing the personal information of millions of California residents. The compromised data included names, addresses, license plate numbers, and vehicle registration information. The DMV quickly severed its connection with AFTS and initiated an investigat...
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Severity

The breach was severe as it involved a potential data breach at the California Department of Motor Vehicles in February 2021, impacting vehicle registration records and potentially putting customer information at risk. The incident was linked to a ransomware attack on a contractor used by the DMV, indicating a significant security vulnerability in the system.

Impact

The breach impacted the security and privacy of customers' vehicle registration records in California, with the potential exposure of sensitive information due to the ransomware attack on a third-party contractor. The DMV had to work with law enforcement to assess additional privacy protections and notify customers out of caution, highlighting the seriousness of the breach.