TLDR
- A cyberattack targeted about 40 French tourist spots, including the Grand Palais, an Olympics venue.
- Hackers demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency, threatening to leak financial data.
- The attack affected data processing systems of museum shops but did not impact Olympic Games programming.
- The French Anti-Cybercrime Brigade (BL2C) is investigating the incident.
- France’s national systems security agency (ANSSI) stated the attack does not affect systems involved in running the Olympics.
A cyberattack has targeted approximately 40 French tourist spots, including the Grand Palais, a venue for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The incident, which occurred over the weekend of August 3-4, 2024, has raised concerns about cybersecurity during the ongoing Olympic Games.
The hackers exploited data processing systems of museum shops and boutiques across France, gaining access to sensitive financial information. The Grand Palais, which is hosting fencing and martial arts events for the Olympics, confirmed it was among the victims of the attack.
According to French newspaper Le Parisien, the director of information systems for the Grand Palais discovered the breach on August 3. The attackers have demanded a ransom to be paid in cryptocurrency, threatening to leak the collected financial data within 48 hours if their demands are not met.
The exact amount of the ransom and the specific cryptocurrency requested remain undisclosed. It’s also unclear whether any of the affected institutions plan to comply with the ransom demands.
In response to the incident, French authorities have taken action. The French Anti-Cybercrime Brigade (BL2C) has opened an investigation into what they describe as an “attack on an automated data processing system, organized extortion, and criminal association with a view to committing a crime or offense punishable by five years’ imprisonment.”
The French National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI) was promptly alerted to the situation. ANSSI has reassured the public that the cyberattack does not affect the information systems crucial to the operation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. “This incident does not affect information systems involved in the running of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” an ANSSI spokesperson stated.
Despite the attack, museum shops targeted in the incident remain operational as of the time of reporting. The Louvre Museum, initially reported to have been impacted, has since denied any involvement in the breach.
This cyberattack is not an isolated incident in the context of the Paris Olympics. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had announced in late July, just days after the start of the Games, that nearly 70 cyberattacks linked to the Olympics had already been thwarted.
In recent years, similar attacks have affected various sectors of the tourism and entertainment industry. Last fall, Las Vegas-based casino operator Caesars reportedly paid about $15 million to hackers following a ransomware attack.
In January, several prominent museums in the United States, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, experienced outages due to cyberattacks on their software systems.
