This month, The Oregonian and OregonLive broke the news that hackers had accessed Oregon DMV data, including what state officials described as personal and sensitive information on 3.5 million drivers license and state ID holders.

That’s most Oregonians. And everyone potentially affected was advised to keep a close eye on their credit report for possible fraud.

So how did this happen, and what exactly do Oregonians need to do to protect themselves?

We asked James E. Lee, the chief operating officer of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that advises identity crime victims — or anyone who wants guidance on how to protect their personal information — free of charge.

The center offers online chats at its website, idtheftcenter.org, and runs a toll-free hotline at 888-400-5530.

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