France’s Tax Agency Hack Exposes Data of 678,000 Taxpayers
A hacker’s claim of stealing sensitive information was confirmed by French authorities, raising fresh concerns over the security of the country’s government systems
France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday. Photo by Ugo Amez/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COM via Reuters Connect
France is investigating a cyberattack on its tax authority after hackers gained access to the systems of the Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP) and extracted data belonging to 678,000 individuals and businesses.
The breach came to light after a hacker using the alias ZeroBytes claimed to have obtained information on more than 600,000 people, including names, tax identification numbers, email addresses and tax-status details. The claims about the specific data stolen have not been independently verified, but French authorities subsequently confirmed that taxpayer data had been accessed and extracted.
The Finance Ministry said the attacker had gained unauthorized access in late June. The intrusion was detected and blocked, while additional security measures were introduced after the hacker publicly claimed responsibility, The Record reported.
The compromised data does not provide access to taxpayers’ secure accounts on France’s tax website, officials said. But tax and personal information could be valuable for identity theft and targeted phishing, particularly if attackers use it to make fraudulent messages appear legitimate.
French authorities have not identified the attacker or disclosed how the intrusion was carried out. Investigators are still working to establish exactly what information was taken and which individuals and businesses were affected.
The incident has also drawn political attention. Le Monde reported that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting on August 17 to oversee the process of notifying affected taxpayers and review the government’s cybersecurity efforts.
Lecornu called for the acceleration of a cybersecurity plan for public administrations launched in April, which includes €200 million for cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and the protection of government ministries. Opposition senators have also called for a parliamentary inquiry.
The tax breach comes amid a series of attacks on French public institutions this year, including systems belonging to agencies responsible for identity documents, education and national financial records.
French authorities will notify affected taxpayers individually, providing details of the information that may have been exposed and any precautions they should take, the Finance Ministry said. The agency has also launched a criminal investigation and notified France’s data protection regulator.