Belfry of Lille. SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP
Data was stolen from the servers of the city of Lille during the cyberattack which targeted the community on March 1, the town hall said on Friday, citing a ransom demand.
Investigations “carried out by the judicial police (…) and then by the technical experts, confirm that data was taken from certain servers of the City of Lille, some of which appear to be of a personal nature“, specifies the City in a press release.
“Ransom demand”
Four City officials received on Wednesday “via their personal messaging service a message that information has been recovered allowing the request for a ransom“, adds the town hall. Contacted, she did not wish to comment on the nature of the stolen data or the credibility of the ransom demand.
Since March 1, the computer services of the city and the associated municipalities of Lomme and Hellemmes have been largely disrupted by the attack. Access to the professional messaging services of elected officials and agents remained suspended on Friday, according to the town hall, which forces users to take many steps on paper.
Read alsoLille town hall victim of a cyberattack
The swimming pools, the museums and the zoo, whose entry had remained free for the first two weeks for lack of a computerized cash register, are again paying since Wednesday, but only in cash or checks. It is, moreover, still not possible to borrow books in the media libraries. The City of Lille calls on residents to be careful when receiving emails, and not to open suspicious links or attachments.