Florida Begins Notifying Victims of DMV Data Breach Tied to Stolen Law Enforcement Credentials

Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has started notifying people whose data may have been affected by a cyberattack on the state system, according to Ars Technica. The agency says an attacker used compromised credentials to access certain records on September 4, 2026. What Information May Be Affected The potentially compromised data includes driver’s license and vehicle information, including document images and other personal details. FLHSMV says it currently has no evidence that the data has been used for malicious purposes. Notifications and Protection Offered The agency is mailing letters to affected individuals and offering one year of credit monitoring from Sontiq Inc. It acknowledged, however, that it may not have current contact details for many former Florida residents whose records remained in the system. Those people have been advised to email the agency to find out whether they were affected. Current and former residents are advised to: Monitor their financial accounts Check their credit reports for suspicious activity Consider placing a fraud alert or freezing their credit files with the major credit bureaus How the Attacker Got In According to the department’s FAQ, the attacker entered through the login credentials of an employee at a local Florida law enforcement agency. FLHSMV says the employee had improperly stored those credentials on an electronic device. The agency attributed the incident to an international cybercriminal organization but did not name it or say how long the attacker had access. The investigation is ongoing. Ars Technica notes that the ShinyHunters group previously claimed responsibility for breaching Florida’s DMV system, though FLHSMV did not name the group in its statement. Response After detecting the unauthorized access, the department blocked it, reset the relevant credentials, brought in cybersecurity specialists and introduced additional security measures.