The names and bank details of thousands of serving British soldiers, sailors and air force members have been exposed in a data breach by a “malign actor” who may have had state help, defense officials said Tuesday.
Quick Read
Title: Major Data Breach Exposes UK Military Personnel Details
- Date and Source: May 7, 2024, Associated Press
- Details of the Breach:
- The personal details, including names and bank information, of approximately 272,000 active and former UK military personnel have been compromised.
- The breach targeted a third-party payroll service used by the Ministry of Defense.
- In some cases, addresses of individuals were also exposed.
- Response and Investigation:
- Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced the system was taken offline immediately following the discovery.
- An investigation into the breach and the contractor’s security measures is underway.
- Suspected Involvement:
- Shapps mentioned the possibility of state-supported actors behind the attack, though specific evidence or confirmation of state involvement was not disclosed.
- Media reports speculate on Chinese hackers, but the UK government has not confirmed these claims.
- International Reactions:
- China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied involvement, condemning the politicization of cybersecurity issues.
- Contractor Background:
- SSCL, the affected contractor, had been partly owned by the UK government until the previous year and serves various government departments.
- Broader Context:
- This incident is part of a broader pattern of cyberattacks, with the UK and US previously accusing Chinese government-linked hackers of various cyber operations against Western targets.
The Associated Press has the story:
UK: Huge payroll data breach by a ‘malign actor’ has exposed details of military personnel
Newslooks- LONDON (AP) —
The names and bank details of thousands of serving British soldiers, sailors and air force members have been exposed in a data breach by a “malign actor” who may have had state help, defense officials said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Defense said the breach occurred at a third-party payroll system holding bank details of as many as 272,000 serving armed forces personnel and recent veterans. In a few cases, addresses may also have been exposed.
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said officials had “immediately taken the system offline” and launched an investigation into the breach and possible failings by the contractor, SSCL, which describes itself as “the largest provider of critical business support services for government.”
“We cannot rule out state involvement,” Shapps told lawmakers in the House of Commons, though he said the government did not yet have evidence to make that conclusion.
Shapps did not confirm reports by Sky News and the BBC that Chinese hackers are suspected of carrying out the cyberattack.
“For reasons of national security, we can’t release further details of the suspected cyber activity behind this incident,” he said.
Labour Party defense spokesman John Healey asked why “the media has clearly been briefed that China was behind” the attack if the government wasn’t prepared to say so.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when asked about the reports, said it opposed all forms of cyberattacks and is against “the use of cybersecurity issues to smear other countries for political purposes deliberately.”
SSCL was founded as a joint venture between the British government and a private tech firm. The government sold its final 25% stake in the firm last year. SSCL clients also include the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Justice.
In March, Britain and the United States alleged that hackers linked to the Chinese government had targeted U.S. officials, journalists, corporations, pro-democracy activists and the U.K.’s election watchdog in a campaign of “malicious” cyberattacks. The two countries imposed sanctions on several individuals and the U.S. charged seven alleged hackers, all believed to be living in China.
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