France to create emergency cyber unit after major tax data breach

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has ordered the creation of a new emergency cyber unit within the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI). This directive follows a massive data breach at the Direction générale des finances publiques (DGFiP), which compromised the sensitive personal and fiscal information of approximately 678,000 individuals and professionals.

Lecornu stated that the current level of cybersecurity across many ministries is “not acceptable” and emphasized the need to “regain the initiative on the ground.” The new task force, composed of ANSSI agents and potentially specialists from the Ministries of the Armed Forces and the Interior, is intended to provide a more rapid and robust operational response to serious threats against the integrity of state information systems. The Prime Minister has requested a formal proposal regarding the unit's organization and rules of engagement by Friday.