Government data stolen in hack, minister confirms
Government data was hacked in a hack, but authorities maintain the threat to individuals is low,
according to Trade Minister Chris Bryant. The information is said to have been obtained by the Foreign Office's systems, which were responsible for the incident. According to reports, a Chinese affiliated group is suspected of orchestrating the attack. The UK government has not revealed who it suspects is responsible, despite a spokesperson who said it has been working to investigate
the incident.
Bryant said that the probes were on going,
and that the security hole had been closed quickly,
according to BBC Breakfast.
he continued.We suspect that it is at a very low risk that individuals have been compromised or injured,
he said on Times Radio. The incident took place in October, according to the Sun newspaper, with reports possibly including visa information. The incident has been traced to the Information Commissioner's Office. Intelligence companies in the United Kingdom have warned of increasing, large-scale espionage from China, using cyber and other technologies, as well as attacking commercial and political information. Last year, the cyber-agency GCHQ said it was devoting more resources to counter threats from China than any other region. On Friday, Bryant said,I'm not able to say whether it is directly connected to Chinese operatives or even the Chinese state,
We're dealing with the repercussions of what this is.Government facilities are always going to be attacked.
The announcement of a hack by a Chinese state group would be difficult for the government ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's first visit to Beijing since 2018. The Labour government has stated that engaging with China is vital, because it cannot be ignored on trade, climate change, and other critical topics, but face-to-face meetings also provide a platform for robust discussions regarding UK security. The Chinese government has consistently denied that it supports cyber-attacks targeting the United Kingdom.
a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London said last year. Sir Keir said earlier this month that UK government policies against China could not continue to blowAccuses such as Chinese espionage, cyber-attacks, and transnational persecution of the UK have completely manufactured, malicious slander,
hot and cold. When China is adefining power in technology, trade, and global governance,
dereliction of service. Sir Keir said that building a careful relationship would instead boost the UK's position as a global leader and help secure UK national interests, while still acknowledging that Chinafailing to navigate a relationship with China, he said it would be a
old ITposes national security risks. Although IT's unclear how hackers gained access in this instance, Jamie MacColl, a senior research fellow in cyber and tech at the Royal UnITed Services InstITute (RUSI), told the BBC government departments that
better digital defensessystems are often used by government departments. Government departments must invest in
becausethey will continue to be targeted," says Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity consultant to software firm ESET.
Additional reporting by Anna Lamche
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