1.2 Million French Bank Accounts Exposed in Massive Registry Breach
Data Breach at France’s National Bank Account Registry Exposes Sensitive Information
A data breach at France’s national bank account registry, FICOBA, has exposed sensitive information tied to 1.2 million bank accounts.
Incident Details
The incident occurred in late January 2026, when an unauthorized individual gained access to the registry using compromised login credentials belonging to a civil servant.
The perpetrator obtained access to a range of personal and financial data, including international bank account numbers (IBANs), account holders’ names, addresses, and tax identification numbers issued by the Directorate-General for Public Finance (DGFiP).
However, the accessed information does not include account balances or enable the initiation of transactions.
Response and Consequences
The Ministry of the Economy and Finance has notified the affected individuals and alerted banks to advise customers to remain vigilant.
The French data protection authority (CNIL) has also been informed, and a criminal complaint has been filed.
The breach is the latest in a series of cyber incidents to affect French organizations.
Warnings and Recommendations
“The accessed information could be used by fraudsters to request direct debit payments or to impersonate legitimate creditors.”
– French Banking Federation
The French Banking Federation has advised bank account holders to regularly monitor their accounts and transactions, dispute any suspicious activity, and be cautious of social engineering attacks that may leverage the compromised data.
While the breach does not enable fraudsters to check account balances or initiate transactions, it highlights the importance of robust security measures to protect sensitive data.
Precautions and Next Steps
In response to the breach, the French Banking Federation has recommended that bank account holders take several precautions to protect themselves.
- Regularly checking accounts and transactions
- Monitoring direct debit transactions
- Being cautious of social engineering attacks
By taking these steps, individuals can help to minimize the risk of fraudulent activity and protect their sensitive information.
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