22-Year-Old Hacker Arrested After Major Cyberattack on France’s Interior Ministry

Young Hacker Behind Major French Government Cyberattack Arrested

A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged in France for orchestrating a sophisticated cyberattack on the Ministry of the Interior. The attack, detected in mid-December 2025, targeted the heart of the French government’s digital infrastructure and exposed vulnerabilities in its online security systems.

According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, the young suspect—identified by Le Monde as Melvin L.—was placed in provisional detention and charged with “unauthorized access in an organized group to a state-run data processing system containing personal information.”

The Attack: Detected Mid-December

The breach was discovered overnight between December 11 and 12, 2025. Hackers reportedly infiltrated official email systems, exploiting weak passwords and internal communication channels.

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez revealed that cybercriminals gained access to crucial police databases, including:

The Traitement des Antécédents Judiciaires (TAJ) – a file listing individuals with criminal records or prior incidents.
The Fichier des Personnes Recherchées (FPR) – a database of wanted individuals.

The attackers claimed on the cybercrime forum BreachForums that they had extracted personal data belonging to more than 16 million people. However, Nuñez disputed this figure, stating that “only a few dozen confidential files” were accessed.

“There was no extraction of millions of records. To my knowledge, that is false,” the minister confirmed during a hearing at the National Assembly.

A Known Face in Cybercrime Circles

The 22-year-old suspect is not a newcomer to the world of hacking. According to French media, he had already been investigated and convicted in 2025 for similar offenses linked to SIM-swapping, a type of cyberattack involving identity theft through mobile phone number hijacking.

Arrested on December 17, 2025, by the Brigade de Recherche et d’Intervention (BRI) in Haute-Vienne, he now faces up to 10 years in prison.

His lawyer, Julien Zanatta, disputes the charges, insisting his client’s involvement is being exaggerated:

“A young man of twenty-two, previously unknown to justice, has been provisionally imprisoned. The version of events presented by the prosecution bears no resemblance to his actual role. The investigation will make this clear.”

Government Response: Strengthening Digital Defenses

The cyberattack shocked officials and prompted an immediate review of the Ministry’s cybersecurity protocols. New measures include:

Mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for all government accounts.
The closure of vulnerable user profiles and outdated accounts.
Increased staff training on digital hygiene and password protection.

This incident underscores the growing threat of cybercrime targeting government infrastructure. Despite advances in technology, human error—such as sharing passwords in plain text—remains one of the weakest links in security.

France’s Cybersecurity at a Crossroads

France has seen a surge in high-profile cyber incidents over recent years, affecting hospitals, schools, and municipalities. This latest breach acts as a wake-up call for public institutions still lagging behind in adopting robust cybersecurity practices.

According to cybersecurity experts, governments must now treat digital security as seriously as physical protection, investing in both technological defenses and staff training.

Key Takeaways

A 22-year-old hacker has been arrested for infiltrating the French Ministry of the Interior.
The attack targeted sensitive police databases but only limited data was confirmed stolen.
The suspect is believed to be a repeat cyber offender.
France is tightening its cybersecurity measures following the incident.