Cyberattack disrupts France's postal service and banking during Christmas

By John Pranay (Editor)

A suspected distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack has disrupted France's national postal service, La Poste, and its banking arm, La Banque Postale, during the Christmas rush. The attack, which occurred on Monday, rendered La Poste's online services inaccessible, blocking and delaying package deliveries and online payments. The incident has no impact on customer data, but has disrupted package delivery and online banking services. La Poste has redirected approvals for banking services to text messages instead. The disruption comes a week after France's government was targeted by a cyberattack that disrupted the Interior Ministry.

The cyberattack on La Poste and La Banque Postale is the latest in a series of incidents targeting France's critical infrastructure. On December 15, the Interior Ministry was targeted by a cyberattack that extracted sensitive files and obtained access to data relating to police records and wanted persons. French media reported that a 22-year-old was detained in connection with the incident. Additionally, prosecutors are investigating a suspected cyberattack plot involving software that would have allowed remote users to control computer systems of an international passenger ferry. A Latvian crew member is in custody facing charges of having acted for an unidentified foreign power.

La Poste, which delivered 2.6 billion packages last year and employs over 200,000 people, has been working to restore its online services. The company has assured customers that letters, including holiday greeting cards, can still be mailed and delivered. However, transactions requiring tracking or access to the postal service's internal computer systems are impossible. The cyberattack has also affected online banking services, with customers of La Banque Postale being blocked from using the application to approve payments or conduct other banking services.

This is not the first time France's critical infrastructure has been targeted by cyberattacks. In 2020, a cyberattack on the French energy company, Engie, disrupted the country's power grid. The attack was attributed to a group of hackers known as APT28, which is believed to be linked to the Russian government. France has also been targeted by cyberattacks in the past, including a 2019 attack on the French Ministry of Justice that compromised the personal data of over 1 million people.

The cyberattack on La Poste and La Banque Postale has significant humanitarian implications, particularly for vulnerable populations who rely on these services for essential goods and financial transactions. The attack has also triggered international alliances, with France's government working closely with its European partners to investigate the incident and prevent future attacks. The French government has also been in contact with international organizations, such as the European Union's cybersecurity agency, to share information and coordinate a response to the attack.

The cyberattack on La Poste and La Banque Postale highlights the growing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in France and beyond. The attack is part of a broader trend of increasing cyber threats against critical infrastructure, including power grids, transportation systems, and financial institutions. This trend is driven by the increasing reliance on digital technologies and the growing sophistication of cyber threats. The attack also underscores the need for improved cybersecurity measures, including enhanced threat detection and response capabilities, as well as increased collaboration between governments, private sector companies, and international organizations to prevent and respond to cyber threats.

This cyberattack on La Poste and La Banque Postale is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities of modern critical infrastructure. While the attack has significant humanitarian implications, it also highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to cybersecurity. Rather than simply focusing on preventing attacks, we need to prioritize building resilience and adaptability into our critical infrastructure systems. This requires a fundamental shift in how we design, build, and operate these systems, with a focus on creating more secure, flexible, and responsive systems that can withstand the increasing threats of the digital age. By doing so, we can reduce the risk of disruptions and ensure that our critical infrastructure remains reliable and secure.

Our internal tone gauge currently reads: Bearish for this development.

1. Cyberattack disrupts France's postal service and banking during Christmas rush — https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/cyberattack-disrupts-frances-postal-service-and-banking-during-christmas-rush-101766425445616.html

2. Cyberattack disrupts France's postal service and banking — https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2025/dec/22/cyberattack-disrupts-frances-postal-service-and/

3. Cyberattack knocks offline France's postal, banking services — https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cyberattack-knocks-offline-frances-postal-banking-services/

Methodology: This analysis combines real-time data aggregation from manually selected global sources with advanced AI synthesis, engineered to provide neutral and data-driven insights.