12th August 2025 Cyber Update: French Telecom Giant Bouygues Suffers Major Data Breach Exposing 6.4 Million Customer Records

Update: Bouygues Telecom detected a sophisticated cyberattack on Sunday, August 4, 2025, that allowed unauthorized access to personal data from 6.4 million customer accounts. The attack was orchestrated by what the company described as a "known cybercriminal group" that targeted specific internal resources. The compromised data includes customers' contact information, contractual data, civil status information, company details for business customers, and critically, International Bank Account Numbers (IBANs).

The company's technical teams resolved the situation quickly and implemented additional security measures, blocking the attackers' access to their network. No credit card numbers or Bouygues Telecom account passwords were compromised in the breach. The company has reported the incident to France's National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and the CNIL data protection authority, with perpetrators potentially facing up to five years imprisonment and €150,000 in fines.

Affected customers are being notified directly via SMS and email, with the company's teams mobilized to provide support.

Why it Matters: This breach represents a significant escalation in attacks targeting European telecommunications infrastructure, following a similar incident at Orange only a week before. The exposure of 6.4 million customer records, including sensitive financial information like IBANs, creates substantial fraud and phishing risks for affected individuals. The incident highlights the critical vulnerability of telecommunications providers, which serve as essential infrastructure for millions of users and businesses.

This breach demonstrates the global nature of cyber threats facing telecommunications networks and the potential for similar attacks on critical infrastructure. The pattern of attacks on European telecom providers, combined with previous incidents attributed to state-sponsored groups like Salt Typhoon, suggests a coordinated campaign targeting communications infrastructure across nations.