Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- Data breaches from the Ministry of Defence have increased nearly five times in the past five years, fueling fears about cyber attacks from Russia and China.
- The UK general election could be undermined by cyber attacks and AI deep fakes from hostile states, leading both the Conservatives and Labour to focus on national security in their campaigns.
Data breaches from the Ministry of Defence have increased by nearly 400% in the past five years, rising from 117 incidents in 2017-18 to 550 incidents in the most recent year. This surge has raised concerns about the UK’s resilience against cyber attacks from countries like Russia and China. Both major political parties, the Conservatives and Labour, have put national security at the forefront of their election campaigns in response to this growing threat. The Information Commissioner’s Office has three active investigations into personal data incidents at the MoD, adding to the urgency of addressing these breaches.
Recent targeted cyber attacks, suspected to be carried out by China, have heightened worries about the security of the MoD’s systems. Labour has criticized the Conservatives for their handling of cyber security, while the Conservatives have raised concerns about Labour’s ability to prioritize national security. Measures have been taken to enhance security within the MoD procurement process following recent hacks. The MoD has faced fines for data breaches, with threats to life resulting from email errors. The Government is committed to strengthening cyber resilience throughout the public sector to protect national security interests.
