What to do if you've been hacked?
Messages sent to your contacts without your knowledge, a password that no longer works, files locked with a ransom demand: you need to act fast, but without panicking.
First steps
- Disconnect the device from the internet: unplug the cable or turn off Wi-Fi.
- Delete nothing: messages and files will serve as evidence.
- Never pay a ransom: there is no guarantee you will get your files back.
- From another, clean device, change your passwords, starting with your email.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for your important accounts.
If your money is at stake
Call your bank immediately to block your card or stop transfers. The faster you act, the better your chances of limiting losses.
Who to contact
17Cyber (17cyber.gouv.fr), set up by the French police, gendarmerie and Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, guides victims free of charge, individuals and businesses alike, 24 hours a day. Also file a complaint with the police or gendarmerie, bringing your evidence.
For businesses
Alert your IT provider, do not switch off servers without their advice and write down everything that happened, with times. If personal data is affected, a report to the CNIL may be mandatory within 72 hours.
How I can help you
I check your computer, look for signs of intrusion, help you regain control of your accounts and give you a report you can use for your complaint and your insurer. For businesses, a cyberattack emergency line is open from 7 am to midnight.