Massive Data Breach Exposes Info of 43 Million French Workers

A major data breach disclosed that France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi) and associated agency Cap Emploi suffered unauthorized access affecting roughly 43 million people — over half of France’s population — exposing sensitive personal data (names, social security numbers, DOBs, emails, postal addresses, phone numbers, and user IDs). The breach, active from about 6 February to 5 March 2024 and discovered/announced in March, involved impersonation of a civil service officer, prompted notification to CNIL and a police complaint, and has led to warnings about increased phishing, identity theft and fraud risks.