PARIS, Aug 18: French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has ordered authorities to accelerate measures aimed at strengthening the security of government information systems following a major cyberattack on the country’s tax authority, Le Parisien reported.
The French Directorate General of Public Finance (DGFiP) recently disclosed that personal data belonging to around 6.78 lakh individuals had been stolen in the attack, prompting Lecornu to convene a crisis management meeting.
The government’s plan to reinforce the security of its information systems was initially launched on April 30. According to the tax authority, the measures include speeding up the rollout of two-factor authentication for access to sensitive data.
Lecornu has also asked the National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (ANSSI) to conduct a security audit alongside the ongoing investigation into the cyberattack.
The tax authority has reportedly faced delays in replacing outdated equipment and updating software, raising concerns about its ability to meet required cybersecurity standards.
