A Council of Europe breach claim has raised concerns about the security of sensitive employee and payroll information. The cybercrime group ShinyHunters alleges it stole hundreds of gigabytes of data from the organization and exposed a large collection of personnel records.
The claim has not been independently confirmed by the Council of Europe. However, security experts warn that the alleged data could create serious risks if it proves authentic. The information reportedly includes personal, financial, and employment-related records tied to current and former staff members.
Hackers Claim Access to Hundreds of Gigabytes of Data
According to ShinyHunters, the group obtained more than 297GB of data from the Council of Europe’s HR and payroll systems. The attackers claim the archive contains over 429,000 files collected from multiple departments across the organization.
The threat actors also allege they accessed more than 409,000 payslips covering roughly 15 years of employee records. In addition, they claim to have obtained thousands of CVs, personnel files, and administrative documents.
At the time of writing, the Council of Europe has not publicly verified the full scope of the alleged breach. Investigators continue to assess the claims and determine whether the leaked information is authentic.
Sensitive Employee Information Allegedly Exposed
The attackers claim the stolen files contain extensive personal and financial information. The alleged dataset includes names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, salaries, bank details, tax information, and social security data. Medical records and employment documents were also reportedly included.
If confirmed, the breach could expose affected individuals to several forms of abuse. Criminals often use detailed personal records to commit identity theft, financial fraud, and targeted phishing attacks. The combination of employment, financial, and health information could make victims particularly vulnerable.
The potential exposure is especially concerning because many Council of Europe employees work on sensitive legal, political, and human rights issues. Such information could attract both cybercriminals and other malicious actors.
Experts Warn of Fraud and Phishing Risks
Security researchers believe phishing campaigns represent one of the most likely outcomes if the data becomes widely available. Detailed employee profiles allow attackers to craft highly convincing messages that appear legitimate.
Fraudsters can use payroll records, contact information, and organizational details to increase the success rate of social engineering attacks. Victims may find it difficult to distinguish fraudulent communications from genuine correspondence.
Researchers also warn that exposed salary information, medical records, and personal details could create opportunities for extortion and blackmail. These risks increase when large datasets contain information collected over many years.
Council of Europe Investigates the Claims
The Council of Europe has not confirmed that the alleged stolen data is genuine. Officials are expected to review the claims and determine whether unauthorized access occurred.
The organization represents 46 European countries and plays a major role in promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Any confirmed compromise involving employee data would likely receive significant scrutiny from regulators and cybersecurity experts.
Investigators will need to determine how the attackers allegedly gained access, what systems were affected, and whether additional safeguards are necessary.
Conclusion
The Council of Europe breach claim highlights the growing threat posed by data theft and extortion groups. While the allegations remain unconfirmed, the reported scale of the incident has already drawn attention across the cybersecurity community.
If the claims prove accurate, the exposure of payroll, HR, and employee records could create long-term risks for affected individuals. The investigation will determine the extent of the incident and whether the organization suffered a significant data breach.
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