China Suspected in UK MoD Hack Affecting 270,000; Shapps to Address

May 7, 2024, 01:09 AM

A significant cyberattack on the UK Ministry of Defence's payroll system, reportedly perpetrated by China, has led to the exposure of personal and banking details of about 270,000 current and former UK armed forces personnel. The breach, which targeted both regular and reserve members, as well as veterans, involved sensitive data including names, bank details, and potentially addresses. British officials, suspecting China's involvement, are set to brief MPs on the extent of the breach, which has raised major cybersecurity concerns. Defence Secretary Shapps is expected to address the issue and outline a multi-point plan to support and protect the personnel involved. The government has responded by taking the affected database offline.