Hackers Steal Traveler Photos, License Plates From US Customs

Whenever you travel to a new country, you usually need to hand over information about yourself, such as your passport. Some countries might even require you to scan your fingerprints, take a photo, and if you’re driving, you might also need to submit the license plate of your vehicle.

It is largely assumed that all this information would be stored securely because it is personal information, but in the case of US Customs, it appears that they have recently experienced a breach in which photos and license plates of travelers to the US might have been stolen by hackers.

According to a statement made by the US Customs and Border Protection, “CBP learned that a subcontractor, in violation of CBP policies and without CBP’s authorization or knowledge, had transferred copies of license plate images and traveler images collected by CBP to the subcontractor’s company network. Initial information indicates that the subcontractor violated mandatory security and privacy protocols outlined in their contract.”

However, the good news is that while this information might have been stolen, they don’t appear to have been uploaded or shared online. US Customs claims that so far, they have not identified any of the image data that was stolen on the dark web or the internet in general.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: Hack, Security