Free
HighIn October 2024, Free suffered a data breach exposing user personal data, including IBANs, affecting over 13.9 million individuals.
- Records exposed
- 13,926,173 records
- Breach date
- Breach Oct 17, 2024
- Last update
- Updated May 27, 2025
What data was exposed?
Fields reported as compromised in this breach record.
Why does this breach matter?
In-depth analysis of the breach and its implications.
In October 2024, Free, a French internet service provider, experienced a significant data breach where unauthorized access resulted in exposing information pertaining to over 13.9 million records. The leaked data included personal identifiers such as names, physical addresses, phone numbers, genders, dates of birth, email addresses, and bank account identifiers (IBANs). Following this breach, some of the stolen information was posted for sale and subsequently released publicly. Free issued an advisory highlighting that while the exposed bank account numbers were insufficient to initiate unauthorized direct debits, users were advised to exercise heightened awareness and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.
Impact Analysis
Understanding the scope and consequences of this breach.
- User Impact
- Personally identifiable information and financial identifiers for many individuals were exposed, increasing risks of identity theft and fraud.
- Business Impact
- The breach significantly affected Free's reputation and prompted further scrutiny on their data protection practices.
- Affected Sectors
- Telecommunications
- Geographic Impact
- France
- European Union
What You Should Do
Recommended actions to take in response to this breach.
If You Were Affected
- •Monitor bank account activity for unauthorized transactions.
- •Consider placing fraud alerts on financial accounts.
- •Avoid responding to suspicious communications pretending to be from Free or related entities.
Preventive Measures
- •Secure online accounts with strong, unique passwords.
- •Be cautious with unsolicited communications requesting personal information.
- •Regularly update account credentials to mitigate unauthorized access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this breach and what it means for you.