What is a data breach
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Hackers stole 153M driver's licenses from ID Scan.net, per Krebs. The breach exposes sensitive ID data, prompting FBI investigation.
Background
A massive data breach at identity verification company ID Scan.net (also known as Veriscan) may have exposed driver's licenses and personal information of over 153 million Americans and Canadians. The stolen data was listed for sale on a Russian cybercrime forum, first reported by cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs. The FBI is now investigating the breach, which could affect individuals who used services that rely on ID verification.
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2026Brian Krebs first reported the breach, stating digital scans of over 153 million driver's licenses were listed for sale on the Russian cybercrime forum Exploit.
- Sep 3, 2026News outlets reported the breach, with ID Scan.net confirming it was investigating but not verifying the hack.
- Sep 6, 2026The FBI confirmed it is investigating the alleged data breach possibly linked to the New Orleans-based ID-verification firm.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The FBI is investigating the breach, but no official confirmation of the hack has been made by ID Scan.net.
- Expert
- Cybersecurity expert Jared Connors called the exposed data 'really serious,' noting the scale and sensitivity of the information.
Still unverified
ID Scan.net has not verified the hack, only confirming it is investigating. The exact number of affected individuals is based on Krebs' report.