FBI probes massive U.S. driver’s‑license breach linked to Russian cybercrime forum

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened a criminal inquiry after a data set containing roughly 153 million American driver’s licenses surfaced on a Russian‑hosted cybercrime marketplace.

Security analysts say the leak appears to have originated from an identity‑verification service that processes personal information for a variety of online platforms. The breach was first identified when the stolen files were posted publicly on a forum known for facilitating illicit trade in personal data.

Among the records listed in the dump is the driver’s‑license information of Pete Hegseth, who serves as the U.S. Secretary of Defense. While the inclusion of a high‑profile official underscores the scale of the exposure, officials stress that the FBI’s investigation is focused on the broader compromise of civilian data rather than any single individual.

Driver’s licenses are a cornerstone of identity verification in the United States, often used to open bank accounts, rent housing, and access government services. When such data is harvested, criminals can fabricate counterfeit IDs, commit fraud, or launch phishing campaigns that appear more credible because they contain authentic personal details.

The FBI’s involvement follows a pattern of heightened scrutiny of transnational cybercrime networks that exploit vulnerabilities in third‑party service providers. Past incidents involving credit‑card numbers, health records, and social‑security data have prompted federal agencies to prioritize supply‑chain security, urging companies to adopt stronger encryption and multi‑factor authentication for sensitive databases.

Law enforcement officials have not disclosed a timeline for the investigation, but they have urged individuals whose driver’s‑license numbers may have been exposed to monitor credit reports and consider identity‑theft protections. The agency also warned that the leak could fuel future scams and advised the public to be wary of unsolicited communications that request additional personal details.