Massive cyberattack in Sweden exposes data of 1.5 million people

Tuesday 16 September 2025 - 12:47

Sweden is reeling from one of its most significant data breaches to date after a cyberattack targeted IT systems provider Miljödata, compromising the personal data of roughly 1.5 million individuals — nearly 15% of the country’s population.

According to prosecutor Sandra Helgadottir, the stolen data has now been leaked online, prompting a full-scale investigation to identify those responsible. A group calling itself “Datacarry” has claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place over the weekend of August 23–24. Authorities have stressed that there is currently no evidence linking the breach to a foreign state actor.

Swedish media reported that the hackers initially demanded 1.5 bitcoin (around €150,000) in ransom before releasing the information on the darknet. The leaked data reportedly includes names, addresses and contact details. Sweden’s privacy protection authority confirmed it has received over 250 reports from affected parties, with at least 164 municipalities and four regional authorities impacted.

The city of Göteborg was among the hardest hit, according to Swedish broadcaster SVT. Several private companies also suffered data exposure, including truck manufacturer Volvo, airline SAS and aerospace company GKN Aerospace, raising concerns about the potential operational and security implications for Swedish industry.