Crédit Mutuel Arkéa Recovers Most Services Following Cyberattack and Suspected Theft

The cyberattack caused a temporary halt in the bank's operations, disrupting normal banking activities.

The bank confirmed that services resumed after thorough security inspections and the implementation of enhanced protective measures. Client funds remained safe, though some transfers experienced delays due to the disruption.

Arkéa revealed the intruders accessed the system through a third-party service provider, not its internet banking branch, Fortuneo. The attackers moved the bank's funds to other financial institutions, potentially facilitating conversion into cryptocurrency.

The suspected theft first came to light through unusual withdrawals from cryptocurrency exchanges. Blockchain analytics firm Bitquery tracked these withdrawals from accounts on Kraken, Crypto.com, and OKX before the victim was publicly identified.

Well-known blockchain analyst ZachXBT pointed out suspicious withdrawals exceeding $106 million on Monday, which he later raised to over $133 million after uncovering an additional $27 million. In his Wednesday report, he identified Arkéa as the likely victim.

The bank subsequently confirmed the cyberattack and said it was still evaluating the full financial impact.

“We do not confirm the exact figures; we can only verify the approximate scale,” Arkéa stated, citing a machine translation.

Arkéa indicated that part of the stolen funds had been frozen and that efforts to recover them are ongoing. Previously, Kraken and Crypto.com informed Cointelegraph that they had restricted accounts or frozen funds tied to the suspected theft. Both exchanges emphasized that their platforms remained secure.