Denmark's Central Population Register hacked: data of 8.8 million people at risk

A serious information security incident has been recorded in Denmark. Hackers managed to gain unauthorised access to the Central Population Register (CPR), putting the personal data of approximately 8.8 million people at risk.

How the hack occurred

According to the investigation, the attack was made possible by the use of legitimate access rights belonging to one of Denmark's private companies. It was through this channel that unknown hackers penetrated the system. Authorities detected suspicious activity in the database at the end of September.

The company's access to the CPR register has now been completely blocked. Police, cybersecurity experts, and the Danish Data Protection Agency are jointly investigating the circumstances of the incident. The specific perpetrators of the attack have not yet been identified at this stage.

How many people were affected

The number of affected individuals significantly exceeds Denmark's total population, which stands at around 6 million residents. This is explained by the fact that the Central Population Register contains records not only of currently living citizens, but also of people who have died or moved abroad. In total, approximately 11 million people are registered in the CPR system.

Security measures and warnings

Preliminary checks indicate that the data of citizens who used the name and address protection service was inaccessible to hackers during this incident.

The government is conducting a comprehensive security review of the Central Population Register. Meanwhile, authorities are warning citizens of an increased risk of fraud, as stolen personal data could be used to commit crimes.