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Friday, 29 May 2026
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France·Technology

France arrests 15-year-old suspect behind leak of up to 18 million identity records

Friday, 1 May 2026, 07:08 · 1 min read

French authorities have arrested a 15-year-old suspected of being the hacker known as "breach3d", who allegedly breached the ANTS (France's national agency that processes passport and identity card applications) and put between 12 and 18 million rows of personal data — including names, email addresses, and dates of birth — up for sale on cybercriminal forums. The suspect was detained on 25 April and referred to investigating judges on 29 April; prosecutors are seeking his formal indictment and placement under judicial supervision for offences that carry penalties of up to seven years in prison and €300,000 in fines. In response to the breach and a broader surge in cyberattacks — Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said France is experiencing roughly three data thefts per day — the government announced €200 million in emergency cybersecurity funding and plans for a new national digital security authority.

Sources
RFIFrance: un mineur de 15 ans soupçonné d'être le hackeur derrière la fuite massive de données d'identité ↗︎
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