French authorities have detained an 18-year-old individual believed to be a key member of the **ZeroBytes** hacking group. The suspect was arrested on August 18 in the Paris region and subsequently placed in pretrial detention. A second suspect, under 16, was also arrested on August 26 but later released, pending examination of his devices. ### Targeting French Institutions The arrests are part of a broader investigation into **ZeroBytes**, a French-speaking hacking collective that has claimed responsibility for a wave of cyberattacks since mid-July. These attacks have targeted various French government agencies, educational institutions, and private companies. Prosecutors allege the 18-year-old participated in attacks against the **Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP)**. The **DGFiP** disclosed a data breach in August, confirming unauthorized access to its systems in late June. Attackers reportedly exploited stolen or misused identities to view and extract sensitive information belonging to individuals and businesses. A hacker operating under the **ZeroBytes** moniker subsequently claimed to have exfiltrated data on over 600,000 individuals. This stolen information reportedly includes names, tax identification numbers, email addresses, family circumstances, and tax status details. ### A Well-Known Figure: "ChatNoir" The 18-year-old suspect was already known to French authorities, having been formally investigated in two separate cyberattack cases allegedly carried out while he was a minor. He remained under judicial supervision for these prior offenses at the time of his recent arrest. French media outlets have identified the suspect by the online alias "**ChatNoir**," although authorities have not publicly disclosed his civilian identity. One of **ChatNoir**'s previous cases reportedly involved the hacker collective **Epsilon**, which was linked to the takeover of **X** (formerly Twitter) accounts belonging to French broadcasters **BFM-TV** and **RMC**, as well as data theft from several companies. Another significant case involved the massive 2024 breach of French telecommunications provider **Free**, where information belonging to over 19 million customers was reportedly stolen. The suspect was formally investigated in this case in January 2025. ### Charges and Penalties In the **ZeroBytes** investigation, prosecutors are pursuing charges against the 18-year-old for several alleged offenses. These include organized unauthorized access to computer systems containing personal data, data theft and modification, participation in a criminal conspiracy, and refusal to provide authorities with a decryption key. These alleged offenses carry significant penalties, with potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of €300,000. ### Broader Wave of Attacks **ZeroBytes** first announced their attacks on July 16 via a dark web site, claiming compromises of both public institutions and private companies. The group is also suspected of targeting several other prominent French entities, including: * Educational institutions * Employment agency **France Travail** * Telecom operator **SFR** * Retailer **Intermarché** * The **French Handball Federation** These arrests come amidst a broader surge in cyberattacks and data breaches impacting French government agencies and organizations. Earlier this year, the **National Agency for Secure Documents**, responsible for passports and identity documents, was targeted. A separate breach of an **Education Ministry** system exposed students' personal information. French law enforcement has been active in combating this trend, with another arrest earlier this year of a 20-year-old suspected of dozens of breaches against government agencies, sports federations, and private businesses.