The protection of our personal data has become an essential concern, whether we are part of the crypto community or whether we are an ordinary citizen. But a recent revelation risks sowing panic, especially in France. With 95 million pieces of data compromised, the sensitive information of many French people finds themselves at the mercy of cybercriminals. Massive hack revealed phone numbers, emails and more confidential data.
Alert: massive data theft in France
After the mishap that left several websites linked to the Paris Olympics hacked, here is a news which sends shivers down your spine: a database containing more than 95 million French documents was left open to the four winds of the Web. This 30 GB “treasure”exposed to all, brings together information from no less than 17 distinct security vulnerabilities.
Names, phone numbers, email addresses, and even partial payment information are now found in the wild. If we add to this the fact that the French population is 67 million, this means thatthere are potentially more files than French !
The companies involved? A nice anthology that goes from the telecoms giant, SFRto sellers of household appliances such as Dartythrough social networks such as Discord and Snapchat. As a bonus, there is also data fromIntersport and of Go Sport.
Suffice it to say that this piracy affects a wide variety of sectors, from e-commerce to telephony.
To make matters worse, the data wasn't even secure! According to experts, this gigantic leak could cause waves of phishing, identity theft, and much worse. As one researcher noted, “ the scale of this data theft is unprecedented, and the consequences for the French could be serious. »
Hacking: a flaw that could have been avoided
This hack was made possible by an unfortunate oversight : a faulty configuration of the Elasticsearch servera tool used to search and analyze data in real time. This server, exposed to the general public, did not requireno permission to access sensitive filesa real Eldorado for cybercriminals looking for easy prey.
A boon, some might say, for hackers who didn't even have to force a lock.
Among the exposed files, file names such as “lyca scrappe.txt” or “snapchat SQL.txt” suggest the companies affected by these successive hacks. And that's just the tip of the iceberg: information from various servicesincluding telecoms and social networks, are mixed up in this historic data leak.
- 95 million files affected;
- 17 separate security breaches;
- A total leak of 30 GB.
Experts agree that this leak could have been avoided with better cybersecurity management. Yet companies seem to underestimate the importance of constant monitoring of their infrastructure. Victims, for their part, will have to be extra vigilant in the face of future attacks.
Crypto and cybersecurity: Web3 to the rescue?
In a context where cybersecurity is on everyone's lips, traditional solutions no longer seem to be enough. Hackers are becoming more and more creative, so how can we cope? The answer could well come from Web3 and emerging technologies likea blockchain. Indeed, the crypto world is starting to organize itself to strengthen user security and anticipate threats.
This is where alternatives like DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) technologywhich positions itself as a shield against these kinds of threats. Although the Ethereum (ETH) of tomorrow looks like a promise of security and confidentiality.
Unlike traditional solutions, which are often ineffective in the face of complexity of current attacksWeb3 relies on decentralization and community participation to better detect and counter cyberattacks.
The model is simple: blockchain makes it possible to secure and trace data, thus making it more difficult for cybercriminals to target users. A great innovation to hope to counter attacks as massive as the one that hit France. If the crypto world succeeds in integrating such solutions on a large scale, cybersecurity could finally reach a decisive milestone.
In short, the massive hack which exposed millions of French data clearly shows the flaws in current cybersecurity. However, thanks to Web3 technologies and the efforts of the crypto industry, solutions like DePIN allow us to hope for a more secure future, safe from cyber threats, or simply to stay safe.
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