France’s tax authority has confirmed a data breach that has affected over 600,000 individuals and businesses. The Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP) reported that unauthorized access to its systems occurred in late June, following the theft or misuse of an individual’s identity.
According to the Economy Ministry, the breach allowed the attacker to view and extract sensitive data, including names, tax identification numbers, email addresses, and details regarding family circumstances and tax status. The unauthorized access was detected and terminated in late June, but the incident gained public attention after a hacker, known as ZeroBytes, claimed responsibility.
Authorities are currently investigating the extent of the breach and are working to identify the specific information that was accessed or stolen. The DGFiP has stated that individuals whose data was compromised will be contacted directly with details about the exposure and recommended precautions.
The agency plans to notify France’s data protection authority and file a criminal complaint as part of its response to the incident. This breach is part of a troubling trend, as several French government agencies have faced cyberattacks this year, including incidents involving the National Agency for Secure Documents and the Education Ministry.
As investigations continue, the DGFiP has not publicly attributed the breach to any specific threat actor beyond the claims made by the hacker.
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