Suspected Chinese cyber-attack strikes UK Ministry of Defence

The breach, affecting nearly 270,000 individuals, excluded only the U.K.’s special forces, with personal details including names, bank information, and a few thousand home addresses compromised.

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps is set to address the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon regarding the breach, though he is not expected to explicitly name Beijing in his statement. Nevertheless, reports indicate China’s involvement, prompting Conservative MPs like Tobias Ellwood to assert suspicions of Beijing’s motives, suggesting a focus on financially vulnerable individuals for potential coercion.

While Cabinet minister Mel Stride emphasized the swift response of the MoD in taking the affected database offline and underscored the government’s commitment to cybersecurity, he refrained from directly attributing blame to China.

MPs anticipate Shapps will announce a comprehensive investigation into the incident, probing potential lapses from an undisclosed private contractor. The MoD aims to notify all impacted troops and veterans promptly.

In response to the allegations, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey stressed the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for thorough inquiries.

This incident follows earlier accusations by the British government attributing cyber-attacks to “Chinese state-affiliated actors,” targeting institutions like Britain’s electoral watchdog and MPs. In response, the Chinese Embassy in London condemned the claims as baseless fabrications, urging an end to what they termed as “anti-China political farce” in the U.K.