Paris prosecutors investigate cyberattack that may expose 678,000 French tax accounts
A major breach has put sensitive financial information in the spotlight, while French authorities work to determine exactly who may be affected.
As reported by eurointegration.com.ua.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into a cyberattack on the platform of France’s tax service. The incident may have resulted in the data of 678,000 user accounts being leaked.
The case is being handled by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office. Law enforcement officials are investigating the unlawful theft of information from a state automated system for processing personal data.
Investigators are also examining the possible involvement of the perpetrators in a criminal group formed to prepare a serious offense. They are also looking into alleged unlawful access to a state information system and the presence of an organized group within it.
What data may have been stolen by the hackers
The possible information leak became known on Friday, August 14. The cyberattack may have affected users of France’s Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP).
DGFiP Director-General Amélie Verdier said that the perpetrators had gained access to individuals’ data. This included:
- taxable income;
- household quotient;
- tax withheld at source.
Information about businesses is less sensitive. It includes, in particular, the SIREN number, the company’s address, and the details of its representative.
How those affected will be notified
DGFiP plans to contact each person who may have been affected by the cyberattack directly. Those affected will be informed which specific data was at risk and given recommendations on the necessary security measures.
Cyberattacks on French government institutions
This is not the first such incident in France in recent months. In late June, a cyberattack on France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) resulted in the personal data of 12,800 current and former employees of the institution being leaked.
In April, France’s National Agency for the Security of Documents (ANTS) was hit by a large-scale attack. A 15-year-old teenager is a suspect in that investigation.
Following a series of attacks, the French government allocated 200 million euros to modernize the state’s digital services and strengthen their cybersecurity.
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