Major Data Breach Rocks Denmark As Hackers Access Millions Of Personal Records

Hackers have reportedly gained access to personal information belonging to about 8.8 million people after breaching Denmark’s national population registry.

The country’s Ministry of Digital Affairs described the incident as extremely serious and said authorities had launched an investigation to determine the full extent of the breach and identify those responsible.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the compromised information includes names, residential addresses and CPR numbers, which serve as Denmark’s equivalent of social security numbers.

Digital Affairs Minister Christina Egelund confirmed that the affected records cover both living and deceased individuals, as well as people who have emigrated from Denmark.

“This is an extremely serious incident,” Egelund said, adding that the government was working with relevant authorities to assess the consequences of the breach.

Although Denmark has a population of approximately six million, its national population registry contains records relating to about 11 million people. The database includes information on people who have died or relocated outside the country.

The Danish government said preliminary findings showed that the hackers gained access through a Danish company that had legitimate authorisation to access the population registry.

Authorities disclosed that the company’s access to the database had not been revoked, raising questions about how the attackers were able to exploit the existing access.

Investigators are now working to establish how the breach occurred, determine precisely what information was accessed and trace those responsible for the cyberattack.

The government has not yet disclosed whether the compromised information has been published or used for further criminal activities.