Cyber-attack in Hauts-de-France: data of 700,000 people compromised
The Hauts-de-France region fell victim to a cyber-attack via two service providers, exposing names, e-mails and potentially bank account details of hundreds of thousands of people.
Hauts-de-France: a cyber-attack exposes the data of several hundred thousand residents
The Hauts-de-France region announced on Saturday to AFP that it had suffered a cyber-attack resulting in the compromise of personal data, including "potentially bank account details", whilst being unable to specify at this stage the exact number of people affected. According to lefigaro.fr, a specialist website mentions more than 700,000 victims.
Two regional service providers hacked
The region confirmed that two of its service providers, Atexo and Docaposte, were targeted by a computer intrusion that enabled unauthorised access to data processed on its behalf. Initial investigations established that "names, first names, email addresses, as well as potentially bank account details and other identification data are among the data liable to have been compromised," it stated in a declaration transmitted to AFP.
The region indicated, however, that it was not in a position to confirm "the exact number of people concerned," nor "whether other categories of data were also accessible or extracted."
A user claims responsibility for the attack online
According to the specialist website FrenchBreaches, a user reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack and asserted holding personal data of more than 700,000 people. This figure has not been independently verified. According to these claims, the data would concern regional aid, potentially involving secondary school pupils and apprentices benefiting from support schemes.
Complaint filed, platforms closed
The region stated it had "filed a complaint with the competent authorities". The platforms concerned were closed subsequently, and affected users began to be notified. The authority assured that it would "remain mobilised to establish precisely the extent of this incident and inform the people concerned".
France, a recurring target of cyber-attacks
France ranks among the countries most targeted by cyber-attacks, due to the attractiveness of its data and certain gaps in its defence systems, according to several reports and experts. Stolen data is frequently resold on the black market and exploited for fraud purposes.
Source: Google News LU FR