French Authorities Probe Waltio Data Breach Affecting 50,000 Crypto Users
French authorities have opened an investigation into a data breach at Waltio, a crypto tax platform, after hackers exposed the personal information of approximately 50,000 users, most of whom are based in France. The breach, attributed to the hacker group Shiny Hunters, involved the theft of sensitive data, which the group later attempted to monetize through a ransom demand.
Officials warn that the stolen information could be exploited for malicious activities, including targeted attacks on crypto holders. Among the primary concerns are "wrench attacks" a form of extortion where criminals use threats or physical coercion to force victims into transferring digital assets. Cybersecurity authorities have highlighted the risk of kidnapping or unlawful detention as potential consequences for affected users.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of crypto tax platforms like Waltio, which have grown in prominence due to new EU regulations requiring detailed reporting of users' crypto holdings. The DAC-8 proposal, which mandates disclosure of even inactive assets, has increased the volume of sensitive data stored by such platforms, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
Authorities are examining possible connections between the Waltio breach and other recent attacks on crypto holders, suggesting the stolen data may already be in use for fraudulent purposes. The investigation remains ongoing.
Source: https://coincentral.com/french-authorities-investigate-data-breach-affecting-crypto-tax-platform/
Waltio TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/waltio
"id": "wal1769191566",
"linkid": "waltio",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "1/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '50,000',
'industry': 'Financial Services (Cryptocurrency)',
'location': 'France',
'name': 'Waltio',
'type': 'Crypto tax platform'}],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
'number_of_records_exposed': '50,000',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (potential for extortion, '
'targeted attacks, or physical '
'coercion)',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personal information'},
'description': 'French authorities have opened an investigation into a data '
'breach at Waltio, a crypto tax platform, after hackers '
'exposed the personal information of approximately 50,000 '
'users, most of whom are based in France. The breach, '
'attributed to the hacker group Shiny Hunters, involved the '
'theft of sensitive data, which the group later attempted to '
'monetize through a ransom demand. Officials warn that the '
'stolen information could be exploited for malicious '
'activities, including targeted attacks on crypto holders, '
"such as 'wrench attacks' involving extortion or physical "
'coercion.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Intensified scrutiny of crypto tax '
'platforms',
'data_compromised': 'Personal information of approximately 50,000 '
'users',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (potential for targeted attacks, '
'extortion, or physical coercion)'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'lessons_learned': 'Increased scrutiny of crypto tax platforms due to new EU '
'regulations (DAC-8) requiring detailed reporting of '
"users' crypto holdings, making them attractive targets "
'for cybercriminals.',
'motivation': 'Financial gain (ransom demand, monetization of stolen data)',
'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
'ransom_demanded': 'Yes (attempted monetization through ransom '
'demand)'},
'references': [{'source': 'Cyber incident report'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulations_violated': 'Potential violations of EU '
'data protection '
'regulations (e.g., GDPR)'},
'response': {'law_enforcement_notified': 'Yes (French authorities)'},
'stakeholder_advisories': "Authorities warn of risks including 'wrench "
"attacks' (extortion or physical coercion) and "
'potential connections to other recent attacks on '
'crypto holders.',
'threat_actor': 'Shiny Hunters',
'title': 'Waltio Data Breach Affecting 50,000 Crypto Users',
'type': 'Data Breach'}