The fish and wildlife agencies of Washington, Oregon and Idaho have temporarily suspended the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and tags after the vendor operating their online licensing system was apparently breached.
“The department is taking the steps necessary to ensure the sales site is secure and our customers' information is protected,” said Jim Unsworth, director of Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is offering free fishing and parking access through Aug. 30, while it coordinates with the state's Office of Cyber Security.
According to the Oregonian, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has not found evidence of its information being breached, despite an unknown individual claiming credit for a hack on the agency's contact page. Nevertheless, the agency has halted license sales as a precaution, as has the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, which urged hunters and anglers to obtain licenses and tags through its local offices, which operate on a separate system.
In June, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department was also impacted by a breach.
