Up to 73,000 Danes potentially affected by years-long data leak in vehicle registry

A data breach in Denmark’s Motorregister may have exposed the names and addresses of up to 73,000 individuals—including those with protected personal information—to private companies for years, DR Nyheder reports.

The Danish Motor Agency (Motorstyrelsen) confirmed that external businesses have had unauthorized access to the data since 2021, with the vulnerability persisting until July 15, 2025. The agency has now closed the security gap and will notify all potentially affected individuals by mail.

“We deeply regret that this error occurred, and we take the matter very seriously,” said Claus Holm, deputy director at the Motor Agency, in a written statement. He acknowledged the breach could cause “frustration and concern,” particularly for those whose names and addresses were meant to be shielded from public access.

While the agency estimates the actual number of impacted individuals is likely lower, it cannot determine which companies accessed the data. The incident has been reported to the Danish Data Protection Agency (Datatilsynet), and affected citizens have the right to file complaints regarding the handling of their personal information.

A dedicated hotline will be established for those seeking further information.