STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s prosecution authority has confirmed a major data breach exposing personal information of 1.5 million people following a cyberattack against IT systems provider Miljodata.
The attack occurred during the weekend of August 23-24, with stolen data subsequently appearing online according to official statements.
Prosecutor Sandra Helgadottir revealed that the leaked data belongs to more than 1.5 million private individuals, representing nearly 15% of Sweden’s population of 10.6 million.
She confirmed an ongoing investigation into the data breach, noting that a group called Datacarry has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Helgadottir stated there is currently no evidence suggesting foreign power involvement in the cyber incident.
Swedish media reports indicate hackers demanded 1.5 bitcoin, approximately $170,000, when threatening to release the stolen data.
Miljodata confirmed over the weekend that the compromised data had been published on the darknet.
The company disclosed that leaked information includes names, addresses and contact details of affected individuals.
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection received 250 reports from affected parties in late August following the breach.
According to the authority, at least 164 municipalities and four regional authorities were affected by the cyberattack.
Public broadcaster SVT reported that employees, particularly in Gothenburg, had their personal information compromised.
Several private companies also suffered data compromises, including truck manufacturer Volvo, airline SAS and plane engine maker GKN Aerospace.
Swedish media reported that both town and city councils along with private companies were impacted by this significant data breach. – AFP
