"Massive security breach": Russian hackers steal files from Royal Navy and RAF bases, investigation launched
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
Russian hackers have stolen hundreds of sensitive military documents and published them on the dark web.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investigating claims that files holding details eight RAF and Royal Navy bases have been compromised. As reported in the Daily Mail, a MoD staff names and email addresses have also been seized.
Cybercriminals accessed the cache of files by hacking a maintenance and construction contractor called Dodd Group. The company said a ransomware attack had gained temporary access to its internal systems.
“We can confirm that the Dodd Group recently experienced a ransomware incident whereby an unauthorised third-party gained temporary access to part of our internal systems,” a spokesperson said. “We took immediate steps to contain the incident, swiftly secure our systems and engaged a specialist IT forensic firm to investigate what happened.
“While our forensic investigation is ongoing, we are aware of claims that data taken from our systems have been published online. We are taking these claims extremely seriously and are working hard to validate this. We are in contact with our customers and colleagues and have also notified the relevant regulatory authorities and law enforcement.”
The Daily Mail reports that the leaks impacted RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, where the US Air Force air force operates its F-35 fighter jets equipped with nuclear weapons. Other bases include RAF Portreath, RAF Predannack, RAF Mildenhall, HMS Raleigh, HMS Drake, RAF St Mawgan, and RNAS Culdrose. Personnel and visitor records are reportedly among the documents hacked.
Professor Anthony Glees, a security and defence expert from the University of Buckingham, told The Mail: “This is a massive national security breach, and it's a double-headed breach, because it not only is about data of great importance to Britain's enemies and potential enemies, but it is also an embarrassment to Britain's allies, in particular the US.”
An MoD spokesperson said: “We take a robust and proactive approach to cyber threats that could pose risks to national interests. We are actively investigating claims that information relating to the MoD has been published on the Dark Web. To safeguard sensitive operational information, we will not comment any further on the details.”