Chinese State Accused of Hacking UK Ministry of Defence

Chinese State Accused of Hacking UK Ministry of Defence

The Chinese state has conducted a hacking operation against the Ministry of Defence (MoD), with MPs set to be briefed on the matter. This breach, aimed at service personnel, is significant, though the MoD aims to reassure serving personnel about their safety, providing support and guidance.

The breached system is separate from the main MoD computer infrastructure and has been taken offline pending an investigation. So far, there’s no evidence to suggest any data has been stolen.

While the government hasn’t officially named the responsible country, Sky News sources indicate it’s China. The Chinese state is accused of making two or three hacking attempts targeting MoD employees, including service personnel.

The cyberattack targeted a payroll system containing information on current service personnel and some veterans, mainly exposing names and bank details. Despite this breach, all salaries for this month will be paid. The MoD has been swiftly investigating the incident over the past 72 hours since its discovery.

This incident may raise concerns about sharing sensitive intelligence with the UK among countries that have strained relationships with China.

This comes shortly after the UK government attributed two “malicious” cyberattack campaigns to “state-affiliated actors” from China. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden disclosed these incidents in the Commons, citing an attack on the Electoral Commission in 2021 and targeted attacks on MPs critical of China.

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