Ransomware attack hits dozens of French museums amid 2024 Paris Olympics

A ransomware attack has targeted the central data systems of Paris' Grand Palais and other museums in the Réunion des Musées Nationaux network, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Tuesday. Some venues in the network are hosting competitions for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The attack, detected on Sunday, hit data systems used by around 40 museums across France. Paris authorities and the Grand Palais-RMN network said there has been no disruption to the Olympic events.

“To date, no data extraction has been detected,” the Grand Palais-RMN said in a statement, adding its technical teams are “fully mobilized” to fix the incident “as best as possible.”

The Grand Palais is hosting fencing and taekwondo competitions, while the Château de Versailles, also part of the RMN network, is the venue for equestrian sports and the modern pentathlon.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has assigned the investigation to a subdivision, the Brigade for Combating Cybercrime, to determine the extent and perpetrators of the attack. Efforts are ongoing to secure and restore the affected systems.