Nine months after a cyberattack, France's National Museum of Natural History still has 7,000 late bills

The collections of the Mineralogy and Geology Gallery at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, April 15, 2026. CHRISTOPHE CAUDROY FOR LE MONDE

The website for France's National Inventory of Natural Heritage, which provides reference information on species and habitats, remains inaccessible. Temporary backup pages have been created, and the reconstruction of the IT system, expected to last until 2027, is underway. Nearly nine months after a cyberattack hit the National Museum of Natural History, its shockwaves are still being felt throughout the public institution. "It's still difficult for staff, and we are far from being out of this period," said the museum's CGT union.

In July 2025, the museum, like other major cultural institutions before it, fell victim to a massive cyberattack. "A malicious email, with a small worm, affected us last spring," explained Gilles Bloch, its president. "From that point, there was a quiet, undetected installation. The hackers took control on July 28."

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