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Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter
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California gun owners’ data leaked online

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter
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The personal details about every California gun owner with a concealed carry weapons permit was published to the internet on Monday. The information, which includes names, addresses and race, was posted to a new firearms dashboard portal.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta launched the 2022 Firearms Dashboard Portal to improve transparency and information sharing on gun-related data, including CCW permits and gun violence restraining orders.

The data breach was first reported Tuesday on the Fresno County Sheriff’s Facebook page. The portal was taken offline and remained offline Wednesday morning.

However, the time between the portal launching and when the data leak was discovered was about a day, leading to fears some private information could have been captured and posted elsewhere online.

Bonta’s office is reportedly “working with urgency” to discover the scope of the breach and will contact permit holders directly to advise on next steps.

Anyone with information on the data breach is asked to contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and submit a report.

PERSONAL DETAILS ABOUT EVERY CALIFORNIA GUN OWNER WITH A CONCEALED CARRY WEAPONS PERMIT WAS PUBLISHED TO THE INTERNET ON MONDAY. THE INFORMATION INCLUDING NAMES, ADDRESSES AND RACE WAS POSTED TO A NEW FIREARMS DASHBOARD PORTAL.

CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA LAUNCHED THE PORTAL TO IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY AND INFORMATION SHARING ON GUN-RELATED DATA, INCLUDING CCW PERMITS AND GUN VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS.

THE DATA BREACH WAS FIRST REPORTED TUESDAY BEFORE THE PORTAL WAS TAKEN DOWN. THAT MEANS THE SENSITIVE INFORMATION WAS ONLINE FOR AT LEAST A DAY, LEADING TO FEARS SOME PRIVATE INFORMATION WAS POSTED ELSEWHERE ONLINE.

BONTA’S OFFICE IS REPORTEDLY “WORKING WITH URGENCY” TO DISCOVER THE SCOPE OF THE BREACH AND WILL CONTACT PERMIT HOLDERS DIRECTLY TO ADVISE ON NEXT STEPS.