WASHINGTON >> Law enforcement agencies in Hawaii and across the country are assessing potential risks after a hacker claimed to have breached a tip-reporting platform used by police departments nationwide, exposing millions of confidential submissions.
The hacker said they infiltrated systems operated by Navigate360, specifically its tip intelligence platform P3 Global Intel, and accessed more than 8 million hotline tips.
While it was not immediately clear whether any Hawaii agencies — including the Honolulu Police Department or Crime Stoppers Honolulu — were directly affected, the platform is widely used by law enforcement, schools and public safety organizations across the United States, raising concerns about possible local implications.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Navigate360 did not respond to multiple inquiries.
In a statement posted online, the hacker — using the name “Internet Yiff Machine” — said they obtained about 93 gigabytes of data after taking over a customer account through social engineering and exploiting a system vulnerability.
Reuters could not independently verify the full scope of the breach. However, the outlet Straight Arrow News reported it had confirmed the authenticity of some of the data by contacting individuals whose information appeared in the leaked material.
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The nonprofit transparency group Distributed Denial of Secrets said it also received a copy of the data and plans to make it available to vetted journalists and researchers.
On its website, Navigate360 describes itself as a leading provider of tip and threat reporting systems used by law enforcement, federal agencies, the military and school safety programs.
Security experts note that tip platforms often contain sensitive personal information submitted anonymously or confidentially, including reports of crimes, threats and suspicious activity. If confirmed, a breach of this scale could raise concerns about the safety and anonymity of tipsters, including those in Hawaii, who rely on such systems to report crimes.
Authorities have not yet said whether any local data was compromised.
The Star-Advertiser contributed to this report.
