A massive database of over 153 million scanned government-issued identification documents has been discovered on a cybercrime forum, prompting an official investigation by the FBI into IDScan.net.

Key Points

• The "Nexus" service on the Exploit forum contains millions of license scans, including high-profile individuals like Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
• Records include front and back images of licenses in visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light, often accompanied by precise travel-related timestamps.
• IDScan.net, which serves over 1,000 marijuana dispensaries and major brands like Hertz and FedEx, is currently under investigation by the FBI's New Orleans field office.
• Security researchers confirmed their own data was present, noting that records appeared to grow by nearly 400,000 entries in a single 24-hour period.
• The breach highlights significant security risks associated with the centralized storage of sensitive identity documents by third-party verification companies.

Why it Matters

This incident exposes the severe vulnerabilities inherent in centralized identity databases that aggregate millions of sensitive government documents. It serves as a critical warning for policymakers currently pushing for expanded digital ID requirements, demonstrating that such repositories create high-value targets for cybercriminals.