France’s Interior Ministry suffered a cyberattack that lasted several days, targeting professional email accounts, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez revealed. The ministry, which employs nearly 300,000 people, discovered unusual activity on its servers last week, prompting an internal investigation. Nuñez confirmed the attack publicly on Wednesday, explaining that hackers gained access to sensitive information stored in police databases. While officials acted quickly to contain the breach, the incident highlighted vulnerabilities in the ministry’s internal security practices.
The minister stressed that authorities immediately launched a judicial investigation to identify the perpetrators and prevent further damage. “We were the target of a malicious intrusion a few days ago,” Nuñez said during an interview with Franceinfo, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies are treating the matter with the utmost urgency.
How Hackers Accessed Sensitive Files
Nuñez explained that attackers gained entry by accessing several professional email inboxes and recovering login credentials. Once inside, they were able to consult multiple important files, including the Criminal Records Processing System (TAJ) and the Wanted Persons File (FPR). At this stage, investigators cannot determine the full extent of the breach, but preliminary findings suggest that a few dozen files may have been removed.
The minister acknowledged that it remains unclear whether the breach could affect ongoing investigations but reassured the public that the intrusion does not endanger citizens’ lives. Authorities also confirmed that the hackers did not issue any ransom demands. Nuñez attributed the intrusion to lapses in basic cybersecurity practices, noting that repeated reminders about secure procedures had not been fully followed.
Official Responses and Ongoing Investigations
After discovering the attack, the ministry referred the case to the CNIL, France’s data protection authority, in accordance with legal requirements. Nuñez also ordered an internal administrative review to determine how the breach occurred and to strengthen future safeguards.
Reports circulated last week claiming that the hackers accessed data on over 16 million individuals in police files. Nuñez dismissed the claims as false and emphasized that the ministry is pursuing the matter through proper legal channels. France’s Anti-Cybercrime Office (OFAC) now leads the investigation, working alongside judicial authorities to identify those responsible and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The attack serves as a stark reminder of the importance of cybersecurity within large government institutions and the potential consequences when security protocols are not strictly followed.
