The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported today, Tuesday, about a significant security breach in the Ministry of Defense, resulting in the leakage of data of an unknown number of military personnel in the UK. The report indicated that "the breach targeted the payroll system used by the Ministry of Defense, which includes names and banking details of both current and some former members of the armed forces."
The network noted that "in very few cases, the data may include personal addresses," explaining that "it is unknown who is behind the breach or how the data might be used." The data, described as "personal information similar to that of the British Revenue and Customs," pertains to current and former members of the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force over several years.
According to the network, "the system was managed by a third-party contractor, and no operational data of the Ministry of Defense was compromised." The British Ministry of Defense took immediate action and shut down the system while investigations are ongoing.
Although the identity of the perpetrator remains undisclosed, the breach occurs amid increasing warnings regarding cybersecurity threats facing the UK from hostile nations and third parties. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps is scheduled to inform Members of Parliament about the breach in the House of Commons today, Tuesday. He is expected to outline a "multi-point plan" in response, including measures to protect affected service members.
In March, the British government publicly accused China of being behind a breach that occurred in August 2021, targeting information on millions of voters.
