Epe municipality investigates massive data breach affecting residents' personal information
Residents of Epe are urged to stay alert after a cyberattack exposed 600,000 files, including personal data. The municipality is working with experts to assess the risks, but the process is taking longer than expected. Be cautious of potential fraud.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Municipality of Epe, Gelderland, Netherlands |
| Number of files stolen | 600,000 |
| Type of data accessed | Personal data (exact details still under investigation) |
| Current status | Systems secured; services remain operational |
| Collaborating experts | Information Security Service for Municipalities, cybersecurity experts |
| Advice for residents | Stay vigilant for fraud; visit veiliginternetten.nl or ap.nl |
The Municipality of Epe is responsible for local governance, including the protection of residents' personal data and the security of its ICT systems. In the event of a data breach, it must collaborate with national experts to assess risks and inform affected parties.
Read the full translated article below
Municipality of Epe opts for meticulous process in data breach
We recently announced that there had been a breach of our ICT systems. This involved a professional hack in which 600,000 files were stolen from an internal work disk.
Unfortunately, files containing personal data were also accessed during the hack. Many of these files are difficult to trace, which is why it is taking longer than expected to determine exactly which data has been leaked and whose it is. We have chosen to follow a meticulous process and therefore ask for your patience. We have received the results of the initial investigation. Based on these, we are conducting a targeted search, in collaboration with experts from, among others, the Information Security Service for Municipalities, to assess the risks. This also takes time and requires a meticulous approach. We will communicate further as soon as possible. Until then, we ask for your patience and understanding.
Stay alert
Criminals may misuse personal data, for example for fraud. Residents, employees, and partners of the Municipality of Epe should be vigilant. For advice and tips on safe internet use, please visit www.veiliginternetten.nl (external link) or www.ap.nl (external link).
Epe’s systems secure again
Together with cybersecurity experts, the municipality has checked and secured the systems. All services for residents, institutions, and businesses have been and remain operational as a result.