Hackers steal 8 million citizens’ records from Danish government database
Hackers have stolen personal records of approximately 8 million people from Denmark's Central Person Register. The breach occurred by exploiting a third-party company's authorized access to the government database.
Why it matters
This incident underscores the significant security risks associated with centralized government databases and the vulnerabilities inherent in third-party data access protocols.
The Danish government has confirmed that its central database of citizens’ data was breached and most of its contents were stolen. The data breach affects some 8 million citizens and residents of Denmark, including people living abroad and the deceased.
In a statement, Danish minister Christina Egelund said the breach of the country’s Central Person Register (CPR) was a “serious incident,” which allowed hackers to steal names, addresses, Danish social security numbers, and other information.
The CPR is a government database of Danish citizens’ information, including their government-issued identity number for paying tax and accessing other services. Denmark’s current population is about 6 million people, but the database includes records about 11 million people, with some of the data going back decades.
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