View source for Red Cross data breach

{{Short description|2022 cybersecurity incident}}
On 20 January 2022, the International Committee of the Red Cross made an appeal to hackers who had stolen private data, saying they would speak "directly and confidentially" to those responsible for the attack.<ref name=tj-red-cross-appeals>{{Cite news|title=Red Cross appeals to hackers after major cyberattack|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/red-cross-cyber-attack-hacked-5659878-Jan2022/|date=2022-01-20|access-date=2022-01-21|work=TheJournal.ie}}</ref><ref name=sr-red-cross-cyberattack>{{Cite news|url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/red-cross-cyberattack-switzerland-icrc|title=Red Cross cyberattack exposes data of 515,000 'highly vulnerable people'|last=McGowran|first=Leigh|date=2022-01-20|access-date=2022-01-21|work=Silicon Republic}}</ref><ref name=tr-red-cross-forced-to-shutter-family-reunion-service>{{Cite news|title=Red Cross forced to shutter family reunion service following cyberattack and data leak|url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/20/red_cross_hit_by_cyberattack/|last=Dobberstein|first=Laura|date=2022-01-20|access-date=2022-01-21|work=The Register}}</ref> The hackers had stolen private data on more than 515,000 vulnerable people from at least 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.<ref name=tj-red-cross-appeals/><ref name=sr-red-cross-cyberattack/><ref name=tr-red-cross-forced-to-shutter-family-reunion-service/> So far there is no proof that the data has been leaked, but the ICRC said that their gravest concern was the risk posed by exposing the data.<ref name=tj-red-cross-appeals/><ref name=sr-red-cross-cyberattack/><ref name=tr-red-cross-forced-to-shutter-family-reunion-service/>

The attack was aimed at a Swiss contractor that stores the data.<ref name=tr-red-cross-forced-to-shutter-family-reunion-service/>

The perpetrators have not been identified.

==Impact==
The ICRC has suspended access to compromised computer systems which are part of the Restoring Family Links programme, which was targeted in the attack.<ref name=tj-red-cross-appeals/><ref name=sr-red-cross-cyberattack/><ref name=tr-red-cross-forced-to-shutter-family-reunion-service/> A spokesman said "We will do our utmost to ensure some business continuity and a resumption of services as soon as possible".<ref name=tj-red-cross-appeals/><ref name=tr-red-cross-forced-to-shutter-family-reunion-service/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.icrc.org/en/document/sophisticated-cyber-attack-targets-red-cross-red-crescent-data-500000-people Sophisticated cyber-attack targets Red Cross Red Crescent data on 500,000 people] - www.icrc.org
*[https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2022/cyberattack-on-international-committee-of-the-red-cross.html Cyberattack on International Committee of the Red Cross] - www.redcross.org


[[Category:Cyberattacks]]
[[Category:Data breaches]]



{{Sourceattribution|Red Cross data breach}}