Hackers have broken into Denmark’s national registry and gained access to personal information on 8.8 million people, the digital affairs ministry said Monday.
“The administration of the national registry (CPR) has found that unauthorised individuals obtained illegal access in particular to the names, addresses, and CPR numbers of around 8.8 million registered people,” including those who have died or emigrated, the ministry said in a press release, referring to Denmark’s social security numbers.
“This is an extremely serious incident,” Christina Egelund, digital affairs minister, was quoted as saying in the press release.
“Together with all the relevant authorities, we are in the process of mapping out the full extent of the incident,” she added.
Denmark has a population of around six million, but the national registry has information on 11 million, including data of those deceased and people who have emigrated from the country.
An investigation has been launched into the incident, with the hackers not yet identified, the statement said.
They broke into the national registry by hacking into a Danish company that legally had access to it, the government said, adding that the access has not been revoked.