Five Swiss cantons warn after vehicle-holder data accessed in bulk

Unknown individuals accessed vehicle-holder data from five Swiss cantons through the eAutoIndex online portal, SRF reported. The data included publicly available licence plate numbers, names and addresses.

Aargau, Lucerne, Schaffhausen, Vaud and Zug said the large-scale compilation of the information could be used for criminal purposes. Possible misuse could include payment demands for alleged fines or foreign motorway tolls.

There have also been attempted extortion schemes targeting the operator of eAutoIndex and the canton of Vaud, the cantons said in a joint statement. The five cantons have already filed complaints or plan to do so.

The vehicle-holder data from the five cantons was accessed automatically through eAutoIndex in mid-August, according to current findings. The data was retrieved through a technical interface.

Information that individuals had requested to be withheld from public disclosure was not affected.