Danish Data Breach Exposes Records of 8.8 Million People

A massive breach of Denmark's national register exposed personal data of 8.8 million people. This affects current and former Danish residents, including cross-border workers in Sweden.

Unauthorized parties accessed names, addresses, CPR numbers, and family details. Danish Digitalization Minister Christina Egelund ordered a complete review of the CPR system. Authorities have not decided if affected individuals need new CPR numbers. No deadline has been set for the security review.

The breach involved misuse of legal access held by a private Danish company. The exposed records include living and deceased people, plus those living abroad. Information could include citizenship, marital status, and guardianship details. Officials warn that the stolen data creates risks of identity theft and phishing.

Authorities created a website and telephone hotline to help residents protect themselves. The breach was reported to Denmark's data protection agency, Datatilsynet. The National Special Crime Unit is conducting a criminal investigation. Investigators have not ruled out international involvement in the attack. This story was originally reported by CPH Post.