Hackers expose millions in IDScan data breach

A significant breach has reportedly hit a major identity verification service, potentially compromising millions of personal records. Cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs uncovered the breach, tracing it to a prominent identity verification company. The dark web platform Nexus, which surfaced this week, claims access to over 150 million US and Canadian IDs, with hackers adding about 500,000 new documents daily.

Krebs confirmed his own driver's license was among the exposed data. A photo of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also appeared on Nexus, highlighting the breach's potential scale. The Department of Defense is currently assessing reports related to this incident.

Cybersecurity experts Brian Krebs and Zach Edwards have pinpointed IDScan, a Louisiana-based company verifying millions of IDs globally, as the likely source of the leak. IDScan's Chief Operating Officer, Jillian Kossman, mentioned that the company is actively investigating the breach.

The FBI's New Orleans division is also investigating to determine the data compromise's extent. Following Krebs' report, Nexus went offline, possibly to avoid further scrutiny.

This breach comes as concerns grow over the security of stored ID documents, especially with governments increasingly enforcing age-verification laws. Experts have long cautioned that storing such sensitive information poses risks, making it a prime target for hackers.