China ‘hacks Ministry of Defence’ in main information breach exposing private particulars

China has reportedly hacked the Ministry of Defence, sparking a major data breach exposing personnel names and bank details.

MPs are set to be briefed tomorrow on a significant data breach targeting service personnel through the MoD’s payroll system, Sky News reports. While the government has not yet named the country behind the breach, recent reports suggest it was the Chinese state.

Accusations are mounting against the country for multiple hacking attempts targeting MoD staff, including both current personnel and veterans. The breach is said to have targeted a payroll system, exposing names and bank details of staff on the MoD’s books. The MoD reassured staff that all salaries will be paid as usual this month, and have assured personnel they will be provided prompt support and advice.

The firm running the payroll is not connected to the main MoD computer systems and has been taken down with a thorough review launched. In a race against time, the MoD has spent the last 72 hours trying to understand the extent of the cyberattack. But there are growing concerns the incident may prompt other countries – who have challenging relationships with China – to question whether they can share sensitive intelligence with the UK.

The scare follows allegations made less than two months ago by the UK government, which pointed the finger at “state-affiliated actors” from China for orchestrating two “malicious” cyber campaigns on British soil. Addressing the Commons, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said the two incidents saw an attack on the Electoral Commission – which oversees elections and political finance – in 2021, as well as targeted attacks on MPs suspicious of the Chinese state.

China’s president Xi Jinping is currently touring Europe but has no plans to visit the UK. He has spent the day in Paris, and is set to travel to the Pyrenees tomorrow with French President Emmanuel Macron. He will then visit Serbia on Wednesday followed by Hungary on Thursday – both of which are on friendly terms with Beijing.

The Mirror has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment.