French Government Agency Hit by Massive Cyberattack: 11.7 Million Accounts Potentially Exposed France’s National Agency for Document Security (ANTS) is grappling with a severe cybersecurity breach after a cyberattack forced its digital platform offline, potentially compromising the personal data of 11.7 million citizens. The agency’s portal has been inaccessible since April 24, disrupting critical services for identity documents and driving permits. Authorities identified a 15-year-old French minor, operating under the alias breach3d, as the primary suspect. Arrested on April 25 by the Paris prosecutor’s office, the teenager allegedly used artificial intelligence to fabricate an image of an experienced hacker, gaining credibility in underground forums where stolen data and hacking tools are traded. According to investigators, the suspect claimed to have accessed full names, postal addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and dates of birth from ANTS databases. The Paris Prosecutor’s Office stated that the attack was motivated not by financial gain but by a desire for notoriety within hacking communities, with the teen comparing himself to high-profile groups like Lapsus$. French authorities have filed charges against the minor for attacks on automated data processing systems and possession of hacking tools. Given his age, the courts are evaluating appropriate judicial supervision measures. The incident underscores the rising threat posed by young, individual cyber actors leveraging advanced techniques. As authorities assess the full extent of the breach, public trust in France’s document management systems remains shaken. The investigation continues to determine the actual integrity of the exposed data and the long-term impact on affected citizens.