Cyberattack breaches Liechtenstein’s beneficial ownership register, accessing 31,000 records
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A cyberattack breached Liechtenstein’s register of economic beneficiaries last week, accessing personal data on 31,000 individuals associated with companies and foundations in the principality, the government said Monday. The intrusion was discovered Thursday, prompting authorities to take the system offline and convene a crisis unit over the weekend. Officials reported no evidence that data was altered or deleted.
The Breach
The attack occurred overnight from Wednesday to Thursday last week, targeting the country’s register of economic beneficiaries. The government detected the intrusion on Thursday and immediately took measures to secure the system, shutting it down to prevent further access. Authorities have found no indication that any data was altered or deleted during the incident.
The Register
Liechtenstein’s register of economic beneficiaries is part of efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. It contains information on the individuals behind companies, foundations, and trusteeships registered in the Alpine principality, which has a population of about 40,000 and a financial sector central to its economy.
Investigation Response
The government established a crisis unit over the weekend to lead the investigation into the cyberattack. The unit is coordinating with cybersecurity experts to determine the source and scope of the breach. Further details on the attack method or potential suspects have not been released.
What's Next
The crisis unit is expected to issue a preliminary report on the incident in the coming days. It remains unclear whether the accessed data was exfiltrated and if additional security measures will be required to restore public trust in the registry.
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Cyberattack breaches Liechtenstein’s beneficial ownership register, accessing 31,000 records
