Arrests Made in Major Cyberattack on French Tax Authority

• •An 18-year-old suspect, 'ChatNoir', arrested for hacking French tax systems.
• •ZeroBytes hacking group claimed responsibility for stealing data from over 600,000 individuals.
• •The attack prompted government crisis meetings and public apologies from officials.

French authorities arrested an 18-year-old, known as 'ChatNoir', for involvement in cyberattacks against the tax authority and other organizations. The attacks, attributed to the ZeroBytes hacking group, resulted in the theft of personal data from over 600,000 individuals. The suspect was detained on August 18, 2026, and charged with unauthorized access to data systems and data theft. Another suspect, under 16, was arrested but released pending investigation. The attacks began in mid-July 2026, with the tax authority confirming a data breach on August 13. The breach allowed unauthorized access to sensitive taxpayer information, prompting a government crisis meeting and public apology from officials. The 18-year-old has a history of cybercrime, previously linked to attacks on major media outlets and a telecommunications provider. Prosecutors are pursuing multiple charges against him, with potential penalties including up to 10 years in prison.