Red Cross hack exposes data on 515,000 vulnerable people

ICRC 'perplexed' after breach targeted external contractor in Switzerland

Robert Mardini, director general of the International Committee of the Red Cross. EPA

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), best known for helping war victims, says hackers broke into servers hosting its data and gained access to personal confidential information on more than half a million vulnerable people.

The Geneva-based agency said on Wednesday the breach by unknown intruders this week affected data about 515,000 people “including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in detention”.

It said the information originated in at least 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters around the world.

“An attack on the data of people who are missing makes the anguish and suffering for families even more difficult to endure,” said Robert Mardini, the ICRC’s director general.

“We are all appalled and perplexed that this humanitarian information would be targeted and compromised.”

The agency said it had no immediate indications as to who carried out the cyber attack, which targeted an external contractor in Switzerland that stores the data. There is not yet any indication the compromised information has been leaked or shared publicly.

"While we don't know who is responsible for this attack, or why they carried it out, we do have this appeal to make to them," Mr Mardini said.

"Your actions could potentially cause yet more harm and pain to those who have already endured untold suffering," he said, speaking to those responsible. "The real people, the real families behind the information you now have are among the world's least powerful. Please do the right thing. Do not share, sell, leak or otherwise use this data."