California Department of Justice Data Breach (2016)

The state of California “accidentally” released the private information of nearly 3,500 firearms instructors in October 2016. The information was released as part of the response to a Southern California Public Radio (KPCC) reporter’s Freedom of Information Act request. The reporter was seeking information on state Firearms Safety Certifications. Fox News reports that information on “3,424 firearms instructors” was inadvertently released. That information contained “dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and California identification numbers.” On December 28, 2016 — over two months after the release of information was discovered — “the California Department of Justice sent out a letter to all of the Golden State’s instructors letting them know their personal information had been compromised.”