DOL shuts down online business licensing services due to data breach

During the week of Jan. 24, the Washington Department of Licensing shut down its Professional Online Licensing and Regulatory Information System (POLARIS), frustrating small business owners as they try to stay afloat during the pandemic. 

On Feb. 3, the agency announced that the reason they shut down POLARIS was because of a data breach. 

While the typical Washingtonian uses the DOL for driver and vehicle licensing, POLARIS provides the licenses for businesses and professionals to make sure they are in compliance with the state and have proper documentation.  Without licenses, shops can be shut down. 

"The POLARIS system stores information about its license holders and applicants. The type of information varies for different licenses and may include social security numbers, dates of birth, driver license numbers, and other personally-identifying information. If our investigation concludes that your personal information has been accessed, DOL will notify you and provide you with further assistance," the DOL said. 

Related

State licensing, renewal website down causing delays for business owners

It’s been a bumpy road for small business owners as they try to stay afloat during the pandemic.

"We know that there was some malicious activity," said Christine Anthony, spokesperson for WA State DOL. "We just don’t know the scope. We don’t know how many people are affected we’re hoping to make that determination quickly."

It does not appear that any information from driver and vehicle licensing systems were compromised. 

Cybersecurity expert Michael Hamilton told FOX 13 that he believes this data breach is going to be much bigger than what the DOL has described now. Hamilton also said the timing is ripe for this breach as we get into tax season.

"It doesn’t sound good, especially before tax time because you know that’s when fraudsters really get after it," said Hamilton, Founder of Critical Insight. "It’s really time to make sure that all of your financial accounts are really bolted down, that you’re using multifactor authentication, not just a password, but also a code that comes over your phone."

Hamilton recommends people create an online account with the IRS so no one else can.

With the outage, anyone trying to renew their license can’t submit their application, including bail bonds, cosmetologists, employment agencies, home inspectors, nail technicians, notaries, security guards, tattoo artists, taxis and many others.

"No one is going to have me come to their home and inspect it if I’m not licensed," said Anthony Marshall, real estate appraiser. "It’s loss of income. It’s like showing up to work, and they say hey you can’t work today."

The Department of Licensing issues licenses for around 40 businesses and professions. Of that total, 23 are contained within its professional licensing system, along with the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, which is a separate state agency. 

Businesses/Professions in the professional licensing system

  • Appraisal Management Companies
  • Architects
  • Auctioneers and Auctioneer Companies
  • Bail Bond Agencies, Bail Bond Agents, Bail Bond Recovery Agents
  • Body Art/Body Piercing/Tattoo
  • Camping Resort Companies and Camping Resort Salesperson
  • Cemeteries
  • Combative Sports
  • Commercial Driver Training
  • Cosmetology
  • Court Reporters
  • Driver Training Schools
  • Funeral Directors, Embalmers, Interns; and Funeral Establishments
  • Geologists
  • Home Inspectors
  • Landscape Architects
  • Motorcycle Schools
  • Notaries
  • Private Investigators and Private Investigator Agencies
  • Real Estate Appraisers
  • Real Estate Brokers, Managing Brokers, Firms and Branch Offices
  • Security Guards and Security Guard Companies
  • Timeshare Companies and Salesperson

The DOL said that they have created an Intent to Review form for businesses and professionals trying to renew their licenses while POLARIS is down. DOL will not take action against a license based on its expiration date while POLARIS is down.

You can find that form here. 

DOL is working to get POLARIS back online but has not mentioned a specific date. 

Businesses concerned about the security of their personal information can learn more here

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