December 19, (THEWILL) — A United Kingdom government minister has confirmed that an investigation is underway following a data hack involving Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Trade Minister, Chris Bryant, disclosed the development on Friday, saying authorities were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the cyber breach, which reportedly occurred in October.
“I can confirm that there was a hack related to the FCDO”, Bryant said, while playing down media reports suggesting the involvement of Chinese hackers. He noted that investigations were still ongoing and no conclusions had been reached on attribution.
The incident comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over data security within UK government institutions. In July, the government revealed that a Ministry of Defence official had accidentally leaked a document containing the names and personal details of nearly 19,000 Afghans who had applied to be relocated to the UK following the Taliban takeover.
That disclosure also exposed sensitive information belonging to more than 100 Britons, including intelligence operatives and members of the UK’s special forces, triggering widespread security concerns.
UK authorities have since reiterated their commitment to strengthening data protection and cybersecurity measures across government departments.
The Foreign Office has yet to provide further details on the scope of the October breach but assured that updates would be issued as the investigation progresses.
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