Two Suspects Arrested in French Tax Authority Cyberattack Investigation

Two suspects have been apprehended as part of ongoing investigations into a series of cyberattacks targeting the French tax authority, the Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP). On August 20, an 18-year-old man, linked to the hacker group 'ZeroBytes,' was charged and placed in provisional detention. This suspect, residing in the Paris region and known as "ChatNoir," has a criminal record including previous cyberattack offenses committed as a minor. He faces serious charges such as unauthorized access to computer systems and participation in a criminal organization, with potential penalties including up to 10 years in prison.

A second suspect, a minor under 16, was arrested on August 26 but later released pending further analysis of his devices. The Paris prosecutor's office continues to lead the investigation following complaints received on July 31. The hacker group 'ZeroBytes' claimed responsibility for multiple attacks against state and corporate websites on a dark web platform on July 16, stating that millions of data records from the Ministry of Education were compromised, impacting students, parents, teachers, and staff. Other affected entities include France Travail, the French Handball Federation, Intermarché, and SFR.

The arrest of the 18-year-old suspect highlights ongoing concerns about the security and protection of sensitive data within French public institutions. Investigators are actively working to identify other individuals involved in the cyberattacks.