French police arrest hacker ‘HexDex’ for alleged widespread data theft

French police have arrested a 20-year-old man suspected of extensive data exfiltration from dozens of websites, stealing private information from numerous organizations. The suspect, known online as HexDex, was apprehended on Monday, April 20, 2026, just as he was reportedly preparing to leak more stolen data online, according to HackRead.

The investigation began in late December 2025 following approximately 100 reports of data theft. HexDex is accused of targeting a wide array of entities, including 15 French sports federations, the Ministry of Education, the national firearm owner database (SIA), and the police training platform e-campus. A significant attack on the Compas system, used for trainee teachers, exposed the personal data of 243,000 employees. Other targets included government agencies like the prefecture of Moselle and the National Agency for the Cohesion of Territories (ANCT), public service recruitment portals, concert halls, charities, and hotel chains.

Stolen data was allegedly posted on forums such as Breachforums and Darkforums. While HexDex has reportedly admitted to his online alias, authorities are investigating his full involvement and potential connections to other breaches, such as the recent ANTS portal incident.

Source: HackRead