A significant cybersecurity incident has occurred in France after a breach at Maileva, a subsidiary of La Poste, exposed the personal information of 22 million people. The breach included names and postal addresses of individuals who received correspondence through Maileva, a platform handling mail services for businesses and public organizations. La Poste confirmed the theft to Agence France-Presse on November 14.
The stolen information includes first names, last names, and postal addresses of people who used Maileva's services. However, Maileva management confirmed that bank details and other financial information were not affected by the breach. The company notified France's National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties and filed a complaint, with a judicial investigation underway.
The cyberattack targeted Maileva in September, prompting the company to suspend its services on September 23 after detecting suspicious computer activity. Maileva initially reported that attackers attempted to access customer accounts and send unauthorized emails. The company blocked the involved accounts and suspended services while investigating the incident.
Further investigations revealed that the incident extended beyond attempts to misuse customer accounts. According to confidential internal documents, approximately 39 million email references were affected, corresponding to around 22 million distinct individuals after removing duplicate records. The affected organizations include businesses and public institutions that use the platform for sending invoices and administrative correspondence.
Maileva informed all affected organizations, while client companies are responsible for notifying individuals. The breach comes amid a series of cyberattacks targeting businesses, public institutions, and critical infrastructure across Europe. In early November, cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems affected retailers in several European countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Ireland.
France also experienced a similar incident in October when attackers remotely manipulated refrigeration systems at around 700 supermarkets. The Maileva breach highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and businesses to cyber threats.
The incident emphasizes the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information. Investigations and judicial proceedings are ongoing to address the breach and its implications.
Key points
- The breach exposed personal data of 22 million people, including names and postal addresses.
- The cyberattack targeted Maileva in September, affecting several thousand companies and public institutions.
- The incident is part of a larger trend of cyberattacks targeting businesses and critical infrastructure across Europe.
