Abu Dhabi:Denmark has suffered a significant data breach after hackers accessed the country's national population register, compromising the personal information of millions of individuals.

According to Emirates News Agency, the breach was announced by Denmark's Minister for Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs, Christina Egelund, who described the incident as "deeply serious." The breach has affected the data of 8.8 million people, including names, addresses, and CPR numbers, which are Denmark's personal identification numbers. This also includes information on individuals who have died or emigrated.

The ministry stated that unauthorized individuals gained access to these details and that they are currently working with relevant authorities to understand the full scope of the breach. Although Denmark's population is approximately six million, the Central Person Register holds data on about 11 million individuals, accounting for those who have passed away or moved abroad.

The Danish government has not yet identified the perpetrators behind the breach. It was revealed that the hackers exploited a legitimate access point used by a Danish company to infiltrate the Central Person Register. The company's access to the system has now been terminated.