What happens when a government is compromised by a hacker? This occurred recently in France where the police arrested a suspect, a young man associated with the hacking of the Interior Ministry.
The breach of security caused concern among French officials because the Interior Ministry manages critical pieces of information pertaining to citizens and the nation. When the police became aware of the unauthorized access, they initiated an extensive investigation into the cybercrime incident.
According to French authorities:
Lastly, as shown through the arrest in France, this incident is further confirmation of how serious cybercrime is. Subsequently, governments are keeping a watchful eye and will act quickly on this type of crime. The question at this point is, "How much security do people's data really have with all of these crimes occurring around the world?"
A brief overview of the event
French authorities determined that hackers infiltrated the network and computer systems used by the Interior Ministry. The compromised information included various types of files and internal emails.The breach of security caused concern among French officials because the Interior Ministry manages critical pieces of information pertaining to citizens and the nation. When the police became aware of the unauthorized access, they initiated an extensive investigation into the cybercrime incident.
Who was arrested?
A 22-year-old French male was arrested on the basis of evidence collected during the investigation. The evidence suggested that he played a role in conducting the cyber intrusion.According to French authorities:
- The arrested suspect has been previously convicted for committing cybercrime.
- The recent cyber attack involved the unauthorized access of computer systems via the Internet.
- The arrested individual probably worked in tandem with individuals other than himself to perpetrate the cyber attack.
What data was stolen?
While officials have not yet released all pertinent details, there have been reports by various sites indicating that the sensitive personal information of customers could have been accessed by online hackers. Furthermore, there have also been instances where online hackers claimed to have stolen millions of individual's information. We can only imagine how nerve-wracking it might be to contemplate these scenarios.Why it matters
This incident is another clear example of how cybercrime has evolved from being solely financially based to now having the ability to attack governments and other essential public services.Lastly, as shown through the arrest in France, this incident is further confirmation of how serious cybercrime is. Subsequently, governments are keeping a watchful eye and will act quickly on this type of crime. The question at this point is, "How much security do people's data really have with all of these crimes occurring around the world?"
