Texas vendor breach exposes 3 million driver's licenses

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department disclosed that a data breach at a third-party vendor compromised personal information for more than three million people. The breach occurred at the agency's license system vendor, which handles processing for hunting and fishing permits.

The exposed data includes driver's license numbers, names, addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for individuals who obtained recreational licenses through the state system. TPWD became aware of the incident and is notifying affected individuals. The department has not identified the vendor publicly in initial disclosures.

State agencies across the US increasingly rely on third-party processors for licensing systems, creating cascading exposure when vendors are compromised. The breach adds to a growing tally of state government data exposures tied to contractor infrastructure rather than direct agency systems.

• 013M+ Texans face identity theft risk from exposed SSNs and driver's license data
• 02State agencies must audit third-party vendor security postures and data retention policies
• 03Recreational license holders should monitor credit and consider fraud alerts
• 04Procurement officers face pressure to strengthen vendor cybersecurity requirements in contracts