A significant data breach at Telia has led to a serious security incident for Bergen municipality, as sensitive personal data belonging to approximately 2,000 to 2,500 employees and local politicians has been compromised. The breach reportedly involved the theft of names, phone numbers, and details pertaining to communication activity, including call history and messaging patterns, although the content of messages and calls was not accessed. This alarming situation was confirmed by finance council member Eirik B. Tenfjord, who highlighted the severe implications of this event.

The hackers' access included an overview of who employees contacted, when those contacts occurred, and Telia's internal billing details related to Bergen municipality. The municipal authorities, which have around 10,000 telephone numbers in total, expressed concerns about the exposure of phone logs for many individuals, noting that such information could be particularly sensitive for certain municipal services. The data breach has drawn attention to the broader implications of cybersecurity weaknesses, especially affecting government operations and public trust.

In addition to the immediate effect on Bergen municipality, the incident reflects a growing trend of cybercrime affecting local governments in Norway, with reports indicating that 17 Norwegian municipalities have experienced similar breaches. This growing threat emphasizes the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive user data from malicious actors. Local authorities are now faced with the task of mitigating the impact of this breach and ensuring such incidents do not happen in the future.