French Rugby Federation files lawsuit over phishing-linked cyberattack

PARIS — The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has initiated legal action after falling victim to a cyberattack that authorities trace to a phishing campaign, the governing body confirmed Tuesday.

With roughly 350,000 registered members nationwide, the FFR said it reacted immediately by activating a series of security protocols, stressing that the assault did not penetrate its core IT infrastructure. The federation has now referred the case to France’s independent data-protection regulator and to the appropriate government agencies.

“Investigations are currently underway to determine the number of affected members and the nature of the data potentially involved in the incident,” the FFR said in a statement.

The breach is the second major digital security incident to hit French sport in recent memory; last year the French Football Federation suffered a similar attack that led to the theft of member information.