Uber has confirmed that hackers accessed and stole the driver’s license information of thousands of its drivers during a security breach linked to Fireworks AI, an artificial intelligence cloud company that stored the data on Uber’s behalf. The ride-sharing giant disclosed the incident in a statement, saying the compromised records included license images and related identification details belonging to drivers in the United States. Uber said it has notified affected individuals and relevant authorities, and that it is coordinating with Fireworks AI to determine the full scope of the breach. The company did not specify the exact number of drivers impacted, though people familiar with the matter placed the figure in the thousands.
The disclosure raises fresh questions about the security practices of third-party vendors that handle sensitive personal data for major technology platforms. Uber said it has launched an internal review and is tightening its oversight of outside contractors, while Fireworks AI has not publicly commented on how the breach occurred. Cybersecurity experts note that driver’s license data is highly valuable to identity thieves, and that breaches involving cloud-based AI providers are becoming more common as companies offload data processing to external services. Uber has faced similar scrutiny before, including a 2016 breach that it concealed for more than a year. The company said it would provide additional updates as its investigation continues.
Independent reporting synthesized from primary wires and global correspondents.