French museums attacked

A ransomware attack has targeted the Grand Palais, an Olympic venue in Paris, and approximately 40 other museums in France, including the Louvre. French cybercrime police are investigating after cybercriminals encrypted parts of the systems used to centralize financial data for these institutions and demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency, threatening to leak sensitive data if not paid within 48 hours. The attack was first detected on the night of August 3-4, prompting the Grand Palais' IT director to notify the French cybersecurity agency (ANSSI). While the incident has caused no disruption to the ongoing Olympic events, it highlights the cybersecurity vulnerabilities faced by cultural institutions. Both the Paris prosecutor's office and France's Anti-Cybercrime Brigade are involved in the investigation, which focuses on violations of automated data processing systems. Despite initial concerns, the Louvre has denied being affected by the attack.