French tax authority to contact victims of data hack starting Monday

French tax authorities are set to begin notifying individuals affected by a significant data breach that occurred several weeks ago. Starting Monday, August 17, concerned taxpayers will be contacted individually with details about the data potentially exposed and recommended vigilance measures.

Amélie Verdier, Director General of the French tax administration, apologized to taxpayers on Friday. She confirmed the data theft, which impacted the General Directorate of Public Finances (DGFIP), affecting 678,000 individuals and businesses. Verdier urged those affected to exercise caution, as the stolen information could be exploited by scammers for fraud or identity theft.

The executive branch has pledged to draw lessons from this data leak. A meeting was scheduled for Monday afternoon, involving Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, to assess the situation. The meeting aims to monitor the progress of a security enhancement plan for public administrations, following a series of large-scale cyberattacks.