Data Breach Compromises Tens of Thousands of Travelers’ Images, License Plates

Data Breach Compromises Tens of Thousands of Travelers' Images, License Plates

A subcontractor of U.S. Customs & Border Protection transferred images of travelers and license plates to its network without CBP’s authorization or knowledge. He was subsequently hacked, and the information was compromised.

  • By Kaitlyn DeHaven
  • Jun 12, 2019

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has announced a data breach has compromised tens of thousands of traveler’s information. According to the agency, a subcontractor transferred the images to its network “in violation of CBP policies and without CBP’s authorization or knowledge.” The subcontractor was subsequently hacked.

A CBP spokesperson said that the images contain fewer than 100,000 people in vehicles entering and exiting the United States “through a few specific lanes a single land border Port of Entry over a 1.5-month period.” The photos include drivers in their cars and the license plates of vehicles. No photos were obtained from any airport. Officials have also stated that no passport or other travel document photos were compromised. CBP said none of the image data had been identified on the dark web or internet as of Monday.

Dan Tuchler, CMO at SecurityFirst, said that the misuse of facial recognition technology as well as license plate tracking software is currently a contentious topic, and this breach only breeds more ground for the matter to be discussed.

“We don’t want to live in a police state,” Tuchler said. “With the theft of photos of people entering or exiting the country, will hackers use these photos in combination with other data to create problems for citizens and travelers? Once again it is a partner that was hacked. Every responsible organization needs to be vigilant and ensure that their partners are securing vital data.”

Interestingly enough, this breach occurred just as airlines and U.S. authorities are beginning to use facial recognition technology for customs, check-in, baggage drop, security, and boarding. In lieu of the breach, more opposition to the facial recognition technology may arise.

John Gunn, CMO of OneSpan, said that biometric technology is not inherently bad, but must be applied correctly to keep the misuse to a minimum.

“Biometric technology is too often misrepresented by the media and certain fanatics as a Big-Brother conspiracy,” Gunn said. “It is not a panacea; it is a developing technology that is imperfect and has weaknesses and vulnerabilities like every technological advance in our history, but the net sum gain of its use is indisputably positive.”

CBP said in a statement that the equipment involved in the breach has been removed, and Congress has been informed. While there is speculation, there is still no clear answer on which subcontractor was involved in the breach.

About the Author

Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

  • Unlocking Trustworthy AI: Building Transparency in Security Governance

    In situations where AI supports important security tasks like leading investigations and detecting threats and anomalies, transparency is essential. When an incident occurs, investigators must trace the logic behind each automated response to confirm its validity or spot errors. Demanding interpretable AI turns opaque “black boxes” into accountable partners that enhance, rather than compromise, organizational defense. Read Now

  • Seeking Innovative Solutions

    Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. You may recognize these terms as the “5 Phases” of a grieving process, but they could easily describe the phases one goes through before adopting any new or emerging innovation or technology, especially in a highly risk-averse industry like security. However, the desire for convenience in all aspects of modern life is finally beginning to turn the tide from old school hardware as the go-to towards more user-friendly, yet still secure, door solutions. Read Now

  • Where AI Meets Human Judgment

    Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days. It is driving business growth, shaping consumer experiences, and showing up in places most of us never imagined just a few years ago. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities