Barcelona City Council has confirmed a significant security incident affecting the Barcelona Rental Housing Exchange (Borsa d’Habitatges de Lloguer). This Barcelona Rental Housing Exchange data breach compromised the personal data of users registered between 2014 and 2018.
Officials acknowledge the breach could impact thousands of residents. However, the exact number of affected individuals has not been released.
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Details of the Compromised Data
In an official statement, the City Council attributed the breach to a “malicious actor” who gained unauthorised access. The exposed data is both identifying and identifiable. Therefore, it could be used to impersonate or target victims.
The compromised information includes:
- Identity document numbers (DNI/NIE)
- Dates of birth
- Email addresses
- Telephone numbers
- Postal codes
- User identifiers
Council Response and Containment
Barcelona City Council activated immediate containment protocols to halt the attack. Consequently, the compromised applications are being redeployed onto a “new clean server.” Meanwhile, other non-essential applications have been shut down to prevent further risks.
The incident has been formally reported to the Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT). This action complies with regulatory requirements.
Advice for Affected Citizens
Authorities urge citizens registered with the housing exchange between 2014 and 2018 to remain vigilant. The Council advises affected users to take specific precautions against potential fraud.
- Monitor emails: Be wary of suspicious emails requesting personal details or passwords.
- Check bank accounts: Regularly review bank statements for unexpected transactions.
- Protect credentials: Do not share banking passwords or sensitive credentials via email or phone.
For further information regarding this Barcelona Rental Housing Exchange data breach, the Council has provided two contact email addresses for their Data Protection Officers:
dpd.territori@gencat.cat
dpo_chb@bcn.cat
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