Breach, Data Security

California gun owners’ data exposed

The California Department of Justice has disclosed that individuals who applied for a concealed-and-carry weapons permit from 2011 to 2021 had their personal data leaked following the overhaul of the state's Firearms Dashboard Portal, The Register reports. Several other gun control dashboards used by the state including those for Assault Weapon Registry, Dealer Record of Sale, Firearm Safety Certificate, Gun Violence Restraining Order, and Handguns Certified for Sale were also impacted by the leak. Data, such as names, birthdates, race, gender, addresses, driver's license numbers, and criminal histories were publicly exposed "for less than 24 hours," according to the state Justice Department. "I immediately launched an investigation into how this occurred at the California Department of Justice and will take strong corrective measures where necessary," said state Attorney General Rob Bonta. The incident has prompted Cerberus Sentinel Vice President for Audit, Risk, and Compliance Tim Marley warned about the consequences of inadequate data protections for U.S. organizations.

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