Hôpital Privé de la Loire – €500,000 Fine (France, 2026)

In June 2025, an attacker obtained the credentials of a doctor affiliated with Hôpital Privé de la Loire, the controller, and used them to access the hospital's electronic patient record system. Between 26 June and 1 July 2025, the attacker extracted 524,867 patient records. The compromised data included identification and contact information, social security numbers and, in some cases, identity documents and health data. The records also contained personal data relating to 202,246 persons designated by patients as trusted third parties. After discovering the breach, the controller notified the CNIL, the DPA, and informed the affected patients through different communication channels. However, it did not directly inform the 202,246 trusted third parties whose data had also been compromised. The DPA subsequently carried out an on-site investigation into the controller's data processing practices. The investigation identified several security deficiencies in the electronic patient record system. External users could access it remotely using only a username and password, without a VPN or multi-factor authentication. Moreover, healthcare professionals could access patient records of patients they had no relation with, the system lacked adequate proactive analysis of access logs, and the software provider had permanent access to the system without prior authorisation by the controller. Following the breach, the controller had also temporarily assigned the same password to all external practitioners when resetting their credentials. The DPA found that the controller violated Article 32 GDPR by failing to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure the electronic patient record system. The DPA first considered that remote access by external practitioners was insufficiently protected because it relied only on a username and password, without multi-factor authentication or a VPN. Given the sensitivity and volume of the health data processed, stro