National family allowance fund suspends vacation aid platform after data breach

The National Family Allowance Fund has suspended access to its vacation aid platform following a data breach involving its beneficiaries. The organization took this precautionary measure after receiving an alert on October 9, 2026, and formally signaling the data leak on October 10, 2026. The platform, known as Vacaf, provides financial support to eligible families for their holidays or their children's stays. It is operated by the Hérault departmental branch of the fund on behalf of the national network and is hosted by an external service provider. The system connects beneficiaries with the managers of vacation centers. This incident is not the first for the organization. In February 2024, the fund confirmed illegitimate access to several thousand beneficiary accounts. The current breach affects the specific vacation aid service rather than the general social benefit payment systems.

The organization has activated a crisis cell to evaluate the extent of the leak and limit its consequences. Initial information from the fund indicates that beneficiary bank data and passwords used for online services are not part of the leaked information. The incident has no impact on the payment of social benefits. The exact number of affected individuals has not been communicated by the organization. A specialized media outlet reported a claim concerning approximately 1.2 million beneficiary files. This figure has not been confirmed by the fund and must be considered with caution. The organization stated it will inform affected individuals individually once the scope of the incident is established. Recommendations will also be provided to limit the risks of phishing, fraud, or identity theft. The fund announced its intention to file a complaint following the incident.