Denmark’s Ministry of Digital Affairs said on Monday that the population register had been hacked, allowing access to the names, addresses and personal identification numbers of about 8.8 million people registered in the central database. Digital Affairs Minister Christina Egelund described the incident as “extremely serious”.
Company’s authorisation revoked as official investigation opened
The ministry said in a statement that unidentified individuals had misused legitimate access granted to a Danish private company, using it to conduct searches in the Central Person Register, known as the “CPR”. After the incident was discovered, the government revoked the company’s access to the system. Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the hack, while the authorities said it was still “far too early” to determine who was responsible.
Egelund ordered a comprehensive security review of the national register system, alongside ongoing investigations into how the private company’s access was misused. The minister urged people in Denmark to be wary of suspicious calls and emails, as the data accessed contained personal identifying information that could be used in fraudulent attempts to contact them.
The CPR register’s role in government services
The CPR system is a cornerstone of Denmark’s digital government services, assigning every resident a unique 10-digit identification number. The number is widely used to verify people’s identities when dealing with government agencies, banks and healthcare providers.
Denmark has a population of about 6 million, but the central register contains data on nearly 11 million people, as it also includes information on deceased people and others who have emigrated.
The government first detected unusual activity on 2 October, before the authorities’ investigations revealed that unauthorised searches had been carried out during September 2025. The government confirmed that the information of people covered by the name and address protection service had not been leaked to any party.
