28 Million Texas Driver’s Records Exposed After Third-Party Leaves Database Unsecured

• Vertafore, a Denver based insurance tech company, discovered three files containing driver-related information were posted to an unsecured online storage service. The files included data from before February 2019 on nearly 28 million Texas drivers.
• The files included lienholder information, drivers’ license numbers, names, dates of birth, addresses and vehicle registration histories.
• Failing to secure a cloud database is tied with ransomware as the most common cause of data compromise, according to IBM. The ITRC’s own data breach information corroborates the findings.
• Consumers impacted by the Vertafore data compromise need to follow the advice given by Vertafore and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Vertafore is offering one year of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services.
• For more information on the Texas driver’s records exposed, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center toll-free at 888.400.5530 or live-chat on the company website.
• For the latest on data breaches, visit the ITRC’s data breach tracking tool notified^TM.

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Every week the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) looks at some of the top data compromises from the previous week and other relevant privacy and cybersecurity news in our Weekly Breach Breakdown Podcast. This week, we will discuss the Vertafore data compromise that exposed personal information to the risk of being stolen by a cybercriminal by not installing security on a cloud storage service.

What We Know

There is one thing that almost everyone carries in their pocket – their driver’s license. Without a driver’s license, people can’t legally drive or show proof of age or identity. It is one of the most important forms of identification a person needs in the U.S. That is why a recent event that led to Texas driver’s records exposed has millions of people worried about how it could affect them.

Vertafore, a Denver based insurance tech company, discovered that three files containing driver-related information were moved to an unsecured online storage service. In other words, it was moved to a third-party cloud database with no security. The files included data before February 2019 on nearly 28 million Texas drivers. The files included lienholder information, drivers’ license numbers, names, dates of birth, addresses and vehicle registration histories.

In a statement announcing that Texas driver’s records were exposed, Vertafore says there is no evidence of information misuse. However, the company acknowledges that there is evidence an unknown and unauthorized party accessed the information. Other Vertafore data – including partner, vendor or additional supplier information – and systems remain unimpacted. No Vertafore systems were found to include known software vulnerabilities, and Vertafore immediately secured the suspect files.

Investigators hired by the company believe the unauthorized access to the data occurred between March 11 and August 1 of 2020. The files supported one of Vertafore’s products that helps insurance companies determine insurance policy costs. The files did not contain Social Security numbers or financial information about consumers. Vertafore is offering one year of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services.

Cloud Databases Continue to be Left Unsecured

Unfortunately, this kind of event is far too common. On last week’s podcast, we highlighted another company that left a cloud database unsecured, leading to nearly ten million people’s travel accounts being available online.

Failing to secure a cloud database is tied with ransomware as the most common cause of data compromise, according to IBM. The ITRC’s own data breach information corroborates the findings. Most of the time, there is no evidence data thieves removed or copied the data – meaning the risk of misuse is relatively low. However, it is not zero. It is why consumers impacted by the Vertafore data compromise need to follow the advice given by Vertafore and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

How the Data Ends Up in the Hands of a Private Company

The event that led to Texas driver’s records exposed has prompted consumers to ask questions about how their driver’s license and related data ends up in the hands of a private company. That is not an uncommon question when data breaches, compromises and exposures involve businesses that victims have never heard of – and did not give permission for their data to be shared.

While the answer to the question varies from state to state, the response is almost always some version of “it’s legal.” Also, consumers rarely have the opportunity to “opt-in” or “opt-out” of the sale or sharing of information like driver’s license data by the government.

In response to questions about the Vertafore compromise, the State of Texas issued a statement about the use of driver’s data:

“Texas law permits, and at times requires, the release to authorized parties of driver license and vehicle registration information.”

In the case of Vertafore, the permitted use involves ensuring companies have the data they need to appropriately price insurance premiums for drivers.

Even the nation’s toughest privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), allows personal information from government agencies to be sold and shared for certain purposes without the consumers’ consent. Generally, consumers cannot opt-out of these uses if they are designed to prevent fraud or are used to verify someone’s identity.

notified^TM

For information about recent data breaches, consumers and businesses should visit the ITRC’s new data breach tracking tool, notified^TM. It is updated daily and free to consumers. Organizations that need comprehensive breach information for business planning or due diligence can access as many as 90 data points through one of the three paid notified subscriptions. Subscriptions help ensure the ITRC’s identity crime services stay free. 

Contact the ITRC

If you have questions about how to protect your information from data breaches and data exposures, or if you want to learn more about the Vertafore data compromise, contact the ITRC. You can speak with an advisor toll-free over the phone (888.400.5530), live-chat on the web, or email [email protected] during business hours. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started. Also, download the free ID Theft Help App to access resources, a case log and much more.  

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