As cyberattacks continue to rise, the French public is increasingly aware of the risks associated with personal data breaches. This concern is highlighted in the latest annual report from cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, released this Thursday.
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Personal Data: A Prime Target
The government-run platform, dedicated to providing assistance against malicious online activities, reported a staggering 82% increase in requests for help regarding personal data leaks in 2024, reaching 12,400 reports. Overall, the number of assistance requests on the website grew by nearly 50% within a year, totaling over 423,000 inquiries. This number reflects a growing concern over digital threats, affecting both individuals and businesses.
According to Jérôme Notin, the platform’s director general, there have been numerous personal and banking data breaches
. The compromised information includes sensitive details, such as login credentials, bank details, and home addresses. These pieces of data can be used in various attacks: phishing, account hacking, online fraud, and more.
The report emphasizes that these breaches contribute to the rise in cyber threats, especially phishing, which remains the most common menace faced by users.
Phishing, Hacking, and Fake Tech Support Scams
Phishing accounted for 64,000 assistance requests in 2024, an increase of 22%. These attempts often involve tricking a user into clicking on a malicious link or providing personal information. They frequently appear as false delivery notifications, fake fines, or SMS messages purportedly sent by a familiar contact.
Account hacking, fake tech support scams, and, in the business context, ransomware, also rank among the most common reasons for seeking help from the platform. It’s noteworthy that for the first time, cyberbullying has made it into the top 10 assistance requests from professionals, though the numbers are still relatively low.
AI: A Closely Monitored Tool
Regarding the use of artificial intelligence in acts of cyber malfeasance, Jérôme Notin remains cautious: It’s still a tool that can enhance the capabilities of attackers (…), but except in very specific cases, we have yet to see massive use demonstrated by AI
.
However, the increasing sophistication of these tools could make attacks more complex in the future, particularly through automatically generated content or more convincing phishing attempts.