The French bank Crédit Mutuel Arkéa was the target of a cyberattack that resulted in the misappropriation of approximately 100 million euros, according to information from the French press. The institution confirmed on Wednesday (the 4th) that fraudulent transfers were carried out, but stated that customers’ funds were not compromised.
The attack targeted an account belonging to the bank itself, used by the criminals to move money toward other financial institutions. Part of the sums may have been converted into cryptocurrencies through specialized platforms, according to a statement from Crédit Mutuel Arkéa.
The bank did not confirm the exact amount of the loss, initially disclosed by the French newspaper Libération. The institution acknowledged the rough order of magnitude of the figures published and said that part of the resources was blocked, while other recovery measures are ongoing.
Attack occurred via supplier system
According to Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, the intruders managed to reach its systems through a service provider’s platform.
The institution described the action as sophisticated and external in origin, ruling out that a human error by its employees caused the fraudulent transfers.
The bank also denied reports that the criminals had used Fortuneo, its subsidiary of digital banking services, as an entry point.
After identifying the suspicious movement, the group temporarily suspended some transfer operations to prevent new diversions. Transactions were gradually resumed after implementing additional security measures.
According to the institution, the interruption caused only temporary delays in customers’ transfers, with no losses on their accounts.
Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office investigates the origin of the attack
The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation to identify those responsible for the breach.
The inquiry involves suspicions of criminal access to automated data processing systems, with possible participation of a criminal organization.
Authorities will also examine the path traveled by the diverted resources, including potential cryptocurrency transactions.
So far, the identities of those responsible have not been disclosed.
Bank says its financial solidity remains intact
Headquartered in Le Relecq-Kerhuon, near Brest, in the Brittany region of France, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa is part of the Crédit Mutuel financial services cooperative system.
The group serves approximately 5.8 million customers and manages assets of around 211.5 billion euros, according to Reuters.
Despite the scale of the attack, the institution stated that the loss does not threaten its financial health. The final amount of losses will depend on recovering part of the funds transferred by the criminals.
The bank also warned its customers about possible fraud attempts through messages or fake contacts that use the episode as a pretext to request passwords and banking details.
