Data protection officer launches investigation into cyber attack

Cyberattack: Data Protection Officer launches investigation Keystone-SDA

Following the cyberattack on PK Softech, a software provider for several Swiss pension funds, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner has launched a formal investigation.

Where there are indications of a possible breach of data protection regulations, the investigation is directed against that company, according to a statement issued today by the commissioner.

PK Softech informed the Federal Data Protection Commissioner on October 8, 2026 of the cyberattack on its IT infrastructure and of possible data security breaches. During the cyberattack, data was stolen from several pension funds to which the company provided software solutions.

As has been known for several days, the Federal Pension Fund Publica is among the organisations affected. The Bernese Pension Fund (BPK) and the Bernese Teachers’ Insurance Fund (BLVK) have also been affected by the attack.

Consequently, the pension funds concerned have also lodged a complaint over the matter, as has since been reported. On October 14, the Federal Data Protection Commissioner launched an informal preliminary investigation at Publica and, yesterday, finally opened a formal investigation into PK Softech.

The commissioner expects this investigation to provide a comprehensive overview of the personal data that the pension funds concerned made available to the software company. Furthermore, the legal framework governing such data transfers and their actual implementation, as well as the extent of the information stolen, still need to be clarified, it is further stated.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist. 

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