quora
Explore More

Shufti globally launches webinr-icon - a new kind of identity solution!

Shufti globally launches - a new kind of identity solution!

Read more

Data Breach Exposes 515,000 IDs, More Cases of Synthetic ID Fraud to be Expected?

data breach exposes

Hackers broke into the servers at the International Committee of the Red Cross and accessed personal and confidential information of over half a million vulnerable individuals. 

The International Committee of the Red Cross, known globally for assisting war victims, says that hackers breaches the servers hosting its data and gained access to the data of 515,000 individuals.

The Geneva-based company stated on Wednesday that the breach by unknown intruders affected the personal information of 5,15,000 people “including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration, and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in detention.”

The personal information that was accessed by hackers is said to originate in at least 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters throughout the world.

“An attack on the data of people who are missing makes the anguish and suffering for families even more difficult to endure,” Robert Mardini, the ICRC’s director-general, said in a statement.

“We are all appalled and perplexed that this humanitarian information would be targeted and compromised.” The ICRC stated that the breach was targeted at an external contractor in Switzerland that keeps data for the humanitarian organization. There was no prior indication of the information being publicly shared or leaked. 

Crystal Wells, a spokeswoman of the Agency, said that while the ICRC cannot say for certain that the records were stolen “we feel it is likely. We know that they have been inside our system and have had access to our data.”

She also added that the ICRC had no intention to speculate about the ones behind the intrusion. 

Addressing the person or people behind the intrusion, Mardini issued an appeal: “The real people, the real families behind the information you now have are among the world’s least powerful. Please do the right thing. Do not share, sell, leak, or otherwise use this data.”

This indicates that the ICRC suspects the hackers to be criminals looking to profit off the data for the purpose of ID theft. The Agency also stated that the breach forced them to shut down its “Restoring Family Links” program, which was aimed at reuniting family members separated by conflict, disaster, or migration.

After such a large-scale data breach, chances are that identity fraud cases will further increase in the future. 

Suggested read: – Surge in Identity Theft Frauds During Covid-19

Related Posts

News

United States Senate, UAE Government, and Spain Make Significant Efforts to Curb Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Activities

UK Parliament Legislates New Digital Identity Verification Services Bill Taiwan and Singapore St...

United States Senate, UAE Government, and Spain Make Significant Efforts to Curb Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Activities Read More

News

UK Parliament Legislates New Digital Identity Verification Services Bill

At the same time, trade bodies and digital identity service providers have consulted with the gov...

UK Parliament Legislates New Digital Identity Verification Services Bill Read More

News

Taiwan and Singapore Strengthen AML Regulations for Virtual Asset Providers and Banks

According to the recently passed amendments, overseas crypto platforms are obliged to set up loca...

Taiwan and Singapore Strengthen AML Regulations for Virtual Asset Providers and Banks Read More

News

Singapore and Europe Enhance AML Framework to Fight Financial Crimes Effectively

For the CSPs, the law mandates that they must ensure that the arranged nominees are “fit and prop...

Singapore and Europe Enhance AML Framework to Fight Financial Crimes Effectively Read More

News

Türkiye Removed From Gray List, India Recognized for Its AML Efforts, and Kuwait Urged to Have Better Money Laundering Control Measures: FATF Updates

In addition to these shortcomings, the watchdog discovered that the country’s banking, constructi...

Türkiye Removed From Gray List, India Recognized for Its AML Efforts, and Kuwait Urged to Have Better Money Laundering Control Measures: FATF Updates Read More

News

FINMA, SFC, and MAS Fine Multiple Financial Institutions Over $1.5 Billion For Money Laundering Activities

These suspicious transactions amounted to more than $300 million and were conducted between 2002 ...

FINMA, SFC, and MAS Fine Multiple Financial Institutions Over $1.5 Billion For Money Laundering Activities Read More

News

Nigeria, Myanmar, and Türkiye Take Effective Steps to Meet FATF Recommendations

Mohammad Shahid Ahmed, the Chief of Staff at NFIU, has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the...

Nigeria, Myanmar, and  Türkiye Take Effective Steps to Meet FATF Recommendations Read More

News

Regulatory Authorities Fines TD Bank, Adelaide Casino, and SBI over $500 Million For AML Failings

In addition to this, the spokesperson also stated that the company failed to comply with due dili...

Regulatory Authorities Fines TD Bank, Adelaide Casino, and SBI over $500 Million For AML Failings Read More

News

United States Senate, UAE Government, and Spain Make Significant Efforts to Curb Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Activities

UK Parliament Legislates New Digital Identity Verification Services Bill Taiwan and Singapore St...

United States Senate, UAE Government, and Spain Make Significant Efforts to Curb Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Activities Read More

News

UK Parliament Legislates New Digital Identity Verification Services Bill

At the same time, trade bodies and digital identity service providers have consulted with the gov...

UK Parliament Legislates New Digital Identity Verification Services Bill Read More

News

Taiwan and Singapore Strengthen AML Regulations for Virtual Asset Providers and Banks

According to the recently passed amendments, overseas crypto platforms are obliged to set up loca...

Taiwan and Singapore Strengthen AML Regulations for Virtual Asset Providers and Banks Read More

News

Singapore and Europe Enhance AML Framework to Fight Financial Crimes Effectively

For the CSPs, the law mandates that they must ensure that the arranged nominees are “fit and prop...

Singapore and Europe Enhance AML Framework to Fight Financial Crimes Effectively Read More

News

Türkiye Removed From Gray List, India Recognized for Its AML Efforts, and Kuwait Urged to Have Better Money Laundering Control Measures: FATF Updates

In addition to these shortcomings, the watchdog discovered that the country’s banking, constructi...

Türkiye Removed From Gray List, India Recognized for Its AML Efforts, and Kuwait Urged to Have Better Money Laundering Control Measures: FATF Updates Read More

News

FINMA, SFC, and MAS Fine Multiple Financial Institutions Over $1.5 Billion For Money Laundering Activities

These suspicious transactions amounted to more than $300 million and were conducted between 2002 ...

FINMA, SFC, and MAS Fine Multiple Financial Institutions Over $1.5 Billion For Money Laundering Activities Read More

News

Nigeria, Myanmar, and Türkiye Take Effective Steps to Meet FATF Recommendations

Mohammad Shahid Ahmed, the Chief of Staff at NFIU, has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the...

Nigeria, Myanmar, and  Türkiye Take Effective Steps to Meet FATF Recommendations Read More

News

Regulatory Authorities Fines TD Bank, Adelaide Casino, and SBI over $500 Million For AML Failings

In addition to this, the spokesperson also stated that the company failed to comply with due dili...

Regulatory Authorities Fines TD Bank, Adelaide Casino, and SBI over $500 Million For AML Failings Read More

Take the next steps to better security.

Contact us

Get in touch with our experts. We'll help you find the perfect solution for your compliance and security needs.

Contact us

Request demo

Get free access to our platform and try our products today.

Get started