Paris, France — Orange S.A., the leading telecommunications provider in France, has confirmed it was the target of a cyberattack earlier this week, raising concerns over data security and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities in the European telecom sector.
The company acknowledged the incident in a public statement on Tuesday, noting that its internal IT systems had experienced a breach. The attack, first detected on July 28, temporarily disrupted some corporate services, although Orange has stated that no customer data has been compromised at this time.
“The security of our systems and our users is our top priority. We are currently conducting a full investigation with our cybersecurity teams and relevant authorities,” an Orange spokesperson said.
Initial reports suggest that the attack may have been a ransomware attempt, though this has not been officially confirmed. Cybersecurity experts from the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) are assisting Orange in identifying the source and scope of the breach.
Orange is one of Europe’s largest telecoms groups, with operations in 26 countries and over 280 million customers worldwide. As a critical communications provider, any breach in its systems is treated with the highest level of urgency by national and European cybersecurity entities.
Background of Rising Threats
The incident comes amid a growing wave of cyberattacks targeting telecom and infrastructure providers globally. Just last month, Swedish telecom firm Telia reported a similar intrusion that disrupted internal networks. Analysts warn that as telecom companies digitize their operations, they become more attractive targets for state-sponsored or financially motivated hackers.
Official Response
At the time of this report, Orange has not disclosed who may be responsible for the attack. The company emphasized that its consumer mobile and broadband networks remained unaffected, and business continuity measures have been implemented to mitigate further risk.
A full technical audit is underway, and Orange has pledged to share more findings once the investigation concludes.
Disclaimer:
This report is intended purely for informational and journalistic purposes. It is not intended to harm or misrepresent any individual, brand, or organization mentioned. The facts presented are based on publicly available sources and statements at the time of publication.