Cybercriminal arrested for stealing data from 40 million number plates

The Spanish National Police arrested a cybercriminal in Murcia on 19 February, accused of stealing data on 40 million number plates through the computer systems of several autonomous communities. Since 2020, the individual had been extracting data on vehicles and their owners using a vulnerability in the security of the websites of the Region of Murcia for the payment of the transfer tax.

Similarly, he accessed computer systems in Andalusia, the Balearic and Canary Islands using the same method. The agents managed to recover the database created by the offender, thus preventing its use by criminal organisations for scams or other crimes. The investigation was carried out by the General Information Commissariat, with the collaboration of the Provincial Information Brigade of Murcia and the Spanish National Cryptological Centre.