Officials say several million records have been exposed containing personal information in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
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The closure applies only to online sales, which comprise less than 20 percent of all license sales.
The sale of hunting and fishing licenses is suspended due to a cybersecurity breach.
Officials with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced sales would resume through a network of about 600 dealers across the state. That’s after the software company that manages online and in-person sales told Fish and Game it had been hacked. Nevertheless, the agency has halted license sales as a precaution, as has the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, which urged hunters and anglers to obtain licenses and tags through its local offices, which operate on a separate system. “Those who made their first license purchase after 2008 are not at risk”, Fish and Game said in a news release this evening.
Hunting licenses will still be required for the major seasons which start in September, and the agency expects to have an option for purchasing those licenses available soon. In accordance with its announcement last week, Washington is allowing fishing and shellfishing without a license through Tuesday.
California also uses Active Network to sell hunting and fishing licenses but determined it is not affected after talking with the company, said Clark Blanchard, spokesman for California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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