Paris prosecutors open investigation into tax administration cyberattack affecting 700,000 accounts

Yesterday 15:15

By: Sahili Aya

Paris prosecutors open investigation into tax administration cyberattack affecting 700,000 accounts

The Paris public prosecutor's cybercrime division has opened a judicial investigation following a cyberattack that compromised data linked to nearly 700,000 users of France's tax administration.

The case has been assigned to the Office for Combating Cybercrime (Ofac), which will investigate how the information was extracted and determine those responsible for the breach.

Investigation focuses on fraudulent data extraction

The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed the opening of proceedings on Saturday after being contacted by AFP.

Investigators are examining the alleged fraudulent extraction of personal data stored within an automated data-processing system operated by the French state.

The investigation will seek to establish the technical method used to access the information, identify potential perpetrators and determine the precise extent of the compromised data.

The scale of the incident makes it a significant cybersecurity case for France's public administration. Nearly 700,000 accounts are understood to have been affected.

Public-sector data under scrutiny

The breach has raised renewed concerns over the protection of personal information held by government agencies, which manage large databases containing sensitive information about millions of citizens.

The investigation led by Ofac is expected to examine both the circumstances surrounding the intrusion and the security measures in place when the data was accessed.

Authorities will also need to determine whether the stolen information could subsequently be exploited for fraud, identity theft or other forms of cybercrime.

A broader cybersecurity challenge

The incident comes as government institutions across Europe face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats targeting large databases and essential public services.

For France, the case highlights the particular vulnerability of public-sector systems because of the enormous volume of personal information they process.

The opening of a formal judicial investigation marks the next stage in efforts to establish responsibility for the breach. As investigators work to reconstruct the attack, affected users are likely to remain focused on what information was exposed and what measures will be taken to protect them.