French university platform hack exposes data of nearly 800,000 users

Wednesday 25 March 2026 - 07:00

A major cybersecurity breach in France has exposed the personal data of approximately 774,000 students and former students, according to the National Center for University and School Services (Cnous). The compromised information originated from a government platform used to schedule appointments for student services, including housing assistance, over the past decade.

Authorities revealed that the breach involved unauthorized extraction of data from the online system used by student support services. Once the incident was detected, access to the affected platform was immediately secured, and a technical investigation was launched to determine the cause, assess the scope of the breach, and prevent future incidents.

Among those affected, around 139,000 individuals had documents uploaded to the platform exposed, while approximately 635,000 others experienced a more limited data leak, including names, email addresses, and appointment details.

The case has been reported to Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés, and a formal complaint is being prepared. Officials have pledged to notify all affected individuals and strengthen security measures.

The platform has been temporarily suspended to allow for necessary corrections and improvements in cybersecurity. Meanwhile, students requiring urgent assistance are advised to contact support services directly.

This incident highlights growing concerns over cyberattacks targeting the education sector, which has recently faced multiple data breaches involving both public institutions and private educational organizations.