Data of 515,000 vulnerable people hacked, speaks up ICRC on cyberattack

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), its data systems were hacked, exposing personal information on more than half a million vulnerable people.

Unknown intruders breached data on more than 515,000 people this week, the Geneva-based agency said on Wednesday, “including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration, and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in custody.”

At least 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters around the world contributed to the information.

The ICRC’s director-general, Robert Mardini, stated in a statement that “such attack on the data of those who are missing makes the grief and suffering for families much more difficult to bear.”

“We are all shocked and bewildered that this sensitive humanitarian data would be targeted and hacked.”

The hack, according to the ICRC, targeted an external contractor in Switzerland that holds data for the humanitarian organisation, and there was no evidence the information had been shared or published publicly.

While the ICRC cannot say for sure that the records were stolen, spokeswoman Crystal Wells said, “we believe it is likely.” We know they were into our system and got access to our information.”

The ICRC, according to Wells, does not wish to speculate on who might be responsible for the intrusion.

“The real individuals, the real families behind the information you now have are among the world’s least powerful,” Mardini said, addressing the perpetrator or perpetrators. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please This information should not be shared, sold, leaked, or used in any other way.”