California drivers who recently chose to renew their licenses online to avoid going through the California Department of Motor Vehicles, or DMV , will surely regret their choice .
The California Department of Motor Vehicles is currently investigating a possible credit card data breach related to transactions that were conducted online through its website from August 2013 to January 2014. The Department of Transportation, which learned of the potential security breach from department staff, said there is no clear evidence of breaches in its systems.
“There is no evidence at this time that indicates a direct breach of the DMV. However, because we must be vigilant and in the interest of protecting the sensitive information of California drivers, the DMV is investigating any potential security breach, in conjunction with state and federal authorities.”
The department “is conducting a forensic review of its systems and seeking information regarding a potential breach by both the outside partner that processes DMV credit card transactions and the credit card companies themselves,” the statement said.
Credit cards used on the California Department of Motor Vehicles between August 2, 2013, and January 31, 2014, are at risk, according to the website krebsonsecurity, which confirmed that several banks and financial institutions, including MasterCard, received a warning from the Department of Transportation about the breach. The data that may have been stolen includes the card number, expiration date and the security code on the back of the card.
While it is not yet clear how many victims were affected by the attack, Krebs' publication reported that 11.9 million transactions were processed through the California Department of Motor Vehicles The website can be used to renew driver's licenses and IDs, as well as provide other services.
