The UK Ministry of Defense has fallen victim to a hacker attack. This resulted in a massive leak of military personnel data. The government does not name the country involved in the attack, but Sky News reports that it is China.
The cyberattack targeted the payroll system of current military personnel and some veterans. The attack resulted in the disclosure of information mainly about names and bank details. Despite the attack, all salaries will be paid this month.
Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative MP and former military officer, said that China was «likely looking at financially vulnerable people with the idea that they could be coerced in exchange for money».
China’s foreign ministry said it «strongly opposes and fights all forms of cyberattacks» and «rejects the use of the issue for political purposes to discredit other countries».
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps will deliver a statement to the House of Commons and outline a «multi-point plan» that will include actions to protect affected service members. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense says that the affected servicemen will be provided with counseling and support.
It is noted that the attack was carried out on the contractor’s system, which is not connected to the main computer systems of the Ministry of Defense. It was disabled and an investigation has been launched to understand the extent of the hack. Investigations have not yet revealed that any data was stolen.
Government minister Mel Stride said that China is «an era-defining challenge» and «our eyes are wide open». He did not confirm that China was involved in the hack, but said that the UK must «strike the right balance» when it comes to Beijing.
«By balance, I mean protecting our security,» Stride added.
Source: Sky News