France Travail: up to 43 million people exposed through partner advisers’ accounts

In 2024, attackers used the accounts of advisers from a partner network to download data on up to 43 million people registered with France Travail. In January 2026, the CNIL fined the agency €5m.

In March 2024, France Travail, France’s public employment agency, announced an intrusion into its systems between 6 February and 5 March 2024. The data of up to 43 million people may have been extracted: everyone registered over the past 20 years, plus those with a candidate account.

What was exposed

• Names, dates of birth, social security numbers, France Travail identifiers, email and postal addresses, phone numbers.
• According to the agency, passwords and bank details were not affected.
• The CNIL said the 43 million figure was a potential maximum, still to be confirmed.

How the attackers got in

According to the Paris prosecutor, the attackers used the accounts of advisers from Cap emploi, a partner network allowed to access France Travail’s system. Their identities had been stolen. Three people were arrested.

The sanction

On 22 January 2026, the CNIL, France’s data protection authority, fined France Travail €5m for failing to secure the data well enough. A reminder that, beyond the attack, the organisation holding the data is responsible for protecting it.

Lessons for any organisation, in Morocco too

• Partner accounts with broad access deserve two-factor authentication and close monitoring.
• Detect and block massive downloads that do not match normal use.
• Keep only the data you need, for as long as you need it.
• In Morocco, Law 09-08 on personal data and the CNDP set obligations for any organisation that processes such data.

Whoever holds the data is responsible for it, even when the attacker comes through a partner.

Sources: France Travail statements, CNIL, IT-Connect, Siècle Digital, Bitdefender, 2024–2026.

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