GoKawiilBreach of Denmark's CPR database exposes records of 8 million people
Denmark's government confirmed that hackers stole most of the contents of its Central Person Register, a database holding identity data on roughly 11 million people including the deceased and those living abroad. Minister Christina Egelund called it a "serious incident," saying attackers gained access by abusing a private Danish company's legitimate credentials to query the system. The breach occurred in September but wasn't discovered until October 2, and authorities have not named a suspect.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The incident appears to be Denmark's largest data breach on record, exposing names, addresses and social security numbers tied to tax and public services for nearly the entire population. It also highlights a recurring weakness in national ID systems worldwide, where third-party access granted to private companies can become a route for mass data theft, as seen in prior breaches in Turkey and India.
- About 8 million people's CPR records were stolen, including data on deceased individuals and expatriates.
- Attackers reportedly exploited a private company's authorized access to the database rather than hacking the government directly.
- The breach, discovered in October after occurring in September, is believed to be Denmark's largest ever.
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Published there as: “Hackers steal 8 million citizens’ records from Danish government database”
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