Uber Drivers' License Details Stolen in Major Data Breach. Thousands Affected Across US. - Yahoo

The incident occurred in October but came to wider public attention after Uber began notifying affected drivers and filing breach disclosures with state regulators. The breach originated at Fireworks AI, a technology company that provides access to artificial intelligence models and services, rather than through a direct attack on Uber's own systems.

At least 7,870 individuals were affected across three states, according to regulatory filings, although the nationwide total remains unknown. The affected individuals include 3,430 residents of South Carolina, 2,567 in Massachusetts and 1,873 in Rhode Island. Additional drivers in California and Illinois were also notified, but the number affected in those states has not been confirmed.

Breach Details

Uber said the breach began when an unauthorized party obtained internal credentials belonging to its service provider and used them to access data associated with Uber's account. The company was notified of the incident on Oct. 9 and subsequently severed its connections with the compromised provider while investigating the unauthorized access.

By Oct. 13, investigators had determined that the stolen credentials had been used to access information containing personal data, according to breach notifications reviewed by Reuters. Fireworks separately acknowledged unauthorized access to parts of its systems that affected customer data.

Security Concerns

The theft of driver's license information is particularly concerning because the records can contain identifying details that may be used in identity fraud. Unlike passwords, which can be changed after a security incident, government-issued identification numbers are more difficult to replace.

Fireworks attributed the intrusion to a financially motivated cybercriminal group interested in stealing and selling access tokens used to interact with large language models. However, no known hacking group has publicly claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident also highlights the security challenges companies face when sharing sensitive information with outside technology providers. Businesses increasingly rely on third-party platforms to handle computing, data processing and AI-related operations, giving those providers access to information beyond their own customer records.

Aftermath and Response

Uber has not disclosed the full range of personal information exposed or the total number of drivers affected nationwide. The company said it has found no evidence that the stolen information has been misused, according to Reuters.

Affected individuals are being offered free credit monitoring and fraud assistance through Cyberscout, a TransUnion service. They have 90 days from the date of their notification letter to enroll.

The attack is Uber's second publicly reported security incident this year. Earlier in 2026, the company's Uber Freight division was affected by a separate breach, with an extortion group claiming responsibility for stealing information. Uber has experienced other major cybersecurity incidents, including a 2022 attack in which a hacker gained access to internal systems after compromising an employee's credentials.