Police probe into Traficom, credit register data breach

A data breach has occurred in the software of a Helsinki-based company, impacting two customer organizations associated with the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency -Traficom’s Transport Register, said police in a press release on Friday..

Using these organizations, the intruder accessed large amounts of data from Traficom's vehicle registry and the Finnish Tax Administration's Positive credit register under false pretenses.

The intruder has obtained the full names, addresses, and personal identification numbers of both the first and second owners or holders of vehicles.

The misuse concerns owners and holders whose registration number starts with the letter A within the registration number range AAA-xxx to ALJ-xxx.

“The police are investigating this extensive and complex case as an aggravated computer break-in. Through unauthorized queries, the intruder has obtained information about approximately 65,000 vehicle owners and holders from Traficom, following the agency’s previous communication practices. Additionally, the same organizations have made illegitimate requests for credit information reports on 1,800 individuals,” said Detective Superintendent Lauri Huittinen.

The case came to the attention of the customer organization and subsequently the police when an individual received an alert from the Positive credit register indicating that a financing decision query had been made using their personal identification number.

The person suspected that their personal information had fallen into the wrong hands. Several private individuals have filed criminal reports related to this situation.