A group of hackers has claimed to have accessed tax and personal data of up to 47 million Spanish taxpayers following an alleged cyberattack against the Tax Agency. The attackers have threatened to publish the confidential information if their demands are not met.
No official confirmation on the scope of the attack
For the moment, there is no public official confirmation of the veracity or the real scope of the incident. The Tax Agency has not issued any statement detailing whether the leak has occurred or what type of data could be compromised. The situation is under investigation and the uncertainty affects millions of citizens, also in Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona, where electronic administration is massively used for tax and personal procedures.
Concern about the protection of personal data
Economist José Ramón Riera has underlined the importance of security in the management of tax information. In recent statements, he has highlighted the growing demand for data by the State and the need to guarantee its protection.
"The State demands more and more information from us, but it does not always guarantee that it is truly protected" - José Ramón Riera, economist
Riera has insisted that the protection of taxpayers' data is a direct responsibility of the Administration. Furthermore, he has raised the urgency of reinforcing investment in public cybersecurity in the face of an increase in attacks targeting critical infrastructure.
Debate on the security of public systems
The alleged cyberattack has reactivated the debate on the security of public systems and the protection of citizens' personal data. Security experts consulted agree that citizen trust in electronic administration depends on three key factors.
- Robust technological protection
- Rapid response protocols
- Informative transparency in the face of incidents
In Catalonia, where the digitalization of public services is a consolidated reality, the news has generated concern among users and professionals in the sector. The incident brings to the forefront once again the need to review and strengthen data protection systems in all administrations.