In a major data breach, Sweden’s prosecution authority revealed on Tuesday that personal information of 1.5 million people had been leaked online after a cyberattack targeted an IT systems provider. The breach has affected town and city councils, as well as private companies across the country. This number represents nearly 15% of Sweden’s population, which is approximately 10.6 million.
The attack took place during the weekend of August 23-24 and targeted Miljodata, a Swedish systems provider. The stolen data was later published on the darknet. According to prosecutor Sandra Helgadottir, the leaked information includes sensitive details such as names, addresses, and contact information.
The group claiming responsibility for the cyberattack is known as Datacarry, and the ongoing investigation is focused on identifying the perpetrators. While there is no evidence to suggest the involvement of a foreign government, the hackers reportedly demanded 1.5 bitcoin (around \$170,000) as ransom before releasing the data.
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection has received over 250 reports from affected individuals, with at least 164 municipalities and four regional authorities impacted. Employees, particularly in Gothenburg, and several private companies, including Volvo, SAS, and GKN Aerospace, were among those affected.
