Around one in seven Swiss say they have been hacked at some time or another.
Keystone / Sascha Steinbach
Hackers successfully attacked the website of the Swiss Consumer Protection Foundation last month, placing links to fake stores within the agency’s online shopping pages.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Português
pt
Hackers atacam agência suíça de proteção ao consumidor
The hack was detected within two hours and the malicious links were removed, said the foundationExternal link, which regularly warns consumers about online fraud. The agency said it was unlikely that the hackers were trying to steal customer data but could not yet rule out the theft of people’s names, home and e-mail addresses or passwords.
However, the foundation told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA that it was certain that no “unauthorized access to payment information” had taken place. No credit card or payment data were stored in the database affected by the hacker attack, the agency added.
The foundation’s online shop mainly sells advice pamphlets for consumers, but also retails items such as stickers and webcams.
While the cyber attack may not prove to be any more serious than an embarrassment for the consumer protection foundation, it does highlight the growing danger of hackers in Switzerland.
A survey of online retailers in Switzerland in October last year revealed that some 92% of digital shops had experienced fraud at least once during that previous 12 months. The Swiss financial regulator has also said more must be done to protect banks from cyber-attacks.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
This content was published on
The earth shook near Mürren in the Bernese Oberland on Monday afternoon with a magnitude of around 4.2 on the Richter scale.
Public transport in Geneva faces calls for overhaul
This content was published on
Public transport services in Greater Geneva must better meet needs. The associations Transports et environnement (ATE) and Rail Dauphiné Savoie Léman (ARDSL) have drawn up a review of the situation, calling in particular for the Leman Express timetable to be extended.
Swiss politician who shot at baby Jesus risks fine
This content was published on
The Zurich public prosecutor's office has brought charges against Zurich city parliamentarian Sanija Ameti for disturbing religious freedom. Ameti had shot at a picture of Jesus and Mary with an air pistol.
This content was published on
The French-Swiss artist Saype has created a new giant painting on the summit of the Grand Chamossaire above Villars-sur-Ollon VD. The 2500 square metre work depicts a boy with a rucksack on his shoulders.
This content was published on
According to "Schweizer Illustrierte", Swiss actor Carlos Leal is returning to Switzerland - after 15 years in Los Angeles. "It's become loud there, megalomaniacal and arrogant," he said in the online edition of the magazine.
This content was published on
A coin collector has filed a criminal complaint with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland against Swissmint, the federal mint, for fraud in connection with the sale of the limited-edition 100-franc gold Vreneli.
Museum to open devoted to Swiss ski legend Vreni Schneider
This content was published on
Vreni Schneider is to have a museum in the centre of her home village of Elm. The legendary Swiss ski racer has numerous memorabilia at home, which she is now releasing and exhibiting.
This content was published on
A shooting range in Wittenbach, northeastern Switzerland, was broken into on Sunday night. The unknown perpetrators stole several antique weapons.
Euro 2025: most of crowd at Germany-France match were women
This content was published on
For the first time, the majority of the crowd at a football match in Basel's St. Jakob-Park – Saturday's European Championship quarterfinal – was female.
Pilots’ union seeks to end deal with SWISS over working conditions
This content was published on
The Aeropers pilots’ union is expected to end its collective labour agreement with SWISS, as it pushes for better working conditions for its members.
This content was published on
Switzerland must do more to deal with the growing threat of cyber- attacks, the Swiss financial watchdog FINMA has warned.
This content was published on
Last year, 14,033 cybercrime cases were reported to police in Switzerland, compared to 11,575 in 2015 and 5,330 in 2011. A survey from the firm KPMGExternal link released this week found that 88% of Swiss companies have experienced cyber-attacks in the past year compared to 54% in 2016. This might be just the tip of…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.