Identity verification service IDScan reportedly breached, 150m IDs stolen
UKPulse News Desk
An identity theft site, Nexus, claimed to have over 150 million driver's license photos and passports, primarily from the US and Canada, stolen from an identity verification service. The site has since gone offline.
- An identity theft site, Nexus, claimed to offer access to over 150 million driver's licenses and passports.
- Independent security journalist Brian Krebs identified IDScan as the likely source of the breach.
- The FBI's New Orleans field office is reportedly investigating the breach.
A suspected major data breach may have compromised over 150 million driver's licenses and passports, according to a report by independent security journalist Brian Krebs. An identity theft site named Nexus, which launched on the dark web this week, reportedly claimed to allow searches through these documents, primarily belonging to individuals in the United States and Canada.
Krebs, working with security researcher Zach Edwards, identified the Louisiana-based company IDScan as the likely source of the breach. IDScan is an identity verification service used by various tech and consumer brands globally.
The Department of Defense stated it is "aware of these reports and is evaluating them." IDScan's Chief Operating Officer, Jillain Kossman, told Krebs the company is investigating. The FBI's field office in New Orleans is also reportedly probing the incident. Nexus went offline shortly after Krebs' report was published.
Why this matters: This could be the largest known single breach of identity documents in some time, impacting individuals who have used identity verification services.
What this means for you: If you have used a service requiring you to upload your driver's license, passport, or other identity document for verification, your data may have been compromised.