247k Records from Algerian Ministry of Culture Services Leaked

Overview

On 1 April 2026, a DarkForums user shared a dataset described as originating from m-culture.gov.dz, the website of the Algerian Ministry of Culture. The post describes approximately 247,000 records organized across contacts, cultural event registrations and grant applications.

What was published

The dataset is organized in three main sections:

• Contacts: contact_id, full name, phone number, email address, fax, postal address, country code, website, preferred language, time zone, region code
• Cultural event registrations: event-related participant records
• Grant applications: application records for cultural funding

The post includes the full column structure for the contacts table, with fields such as record_created_at, modified_by_user_id, lead_source, status_reason, do_not_contact and preferred_contact_method.

Risks for affected individuals

• Contact details of cultural sector professionals enable targeted phishing.
• Grant application records may include financial and organizational information.
• Personal contact data could be used for fraud referencing ministry programs.

What remains unknown

• The exact record count per section.
• Whether the data was obtained by intrusion or leaked by other means.
• Whether the ministry has acknowledged the exposure.

What affected people should do

Individuals and organizations that interacted with the Algerian Ministry of Culture should watch for phishing referencing cultural programs or grants and verify any suspicious requests through official channels.