London’s Metropolitan Police force says it has stepped up security after an organisation holding details of its officers and staff was hacked. The force stated late Saturday that there had been “unauthorized access to the IT system” of one of its suppliers.
While the exact timing of breach has not disclosed, the Metropolitan Police, as it is locally known, says the company, which it did not name, had access to names, photos, ranks, vetting levels and payroll numbers for officers and staff, but did not hold personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, or financial details.
LONDON
London’s police force has been placed on high alert after details of officers and staff were hacked in a major security breach, it said Sunday, with all 47,000 personnel receiving a warning about the potential risk.
The Metropolitan Police said it was investigating a data breach that transpired when unauthorized access was gained to the systems of one of its suppliers. The Metropolitan Police Federation, a staff association for officers, said the breach had caused incredible concern and anger and that they have been made aware of unauthorized access to the IT system of a Met supplier, adding that it was working with the organisation to understand if there has been a security breach relating to Metropolitan Police data.
This incident has been reported to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
While the exact timing of the breach or the number of personnel affected has not been disclosed, the Met it said the compromised data did not include phone numbers, addresses, financial details or other such personal information.
According to the BBC Rick Prior, vice chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents more than 30,000 officers in the force, expressed deep concern over the breach.
Federation Vice Chair Rick Prior stated that this was a staggering security breach that should have never taken place. “Given the roles we ask our colleagues to undertake, significant safeguards and checks and balances should have been in place to protect this valuable personal information which, if in the wrong hands, could do incalculable damage.”
He warned that any misuse of this compromised information could have serious repercussions.
The breach transpired just weeks after the Northern Ireland police admitted that it had inadvertently disclosed personal information of its entire officers and staff of 10,000 individuals in response to a freedom of information request.
Officials fear that the information has been obtained by Irish Republican Army dissidents who 25 years after Northern Ireland’s peace accord, continue to mount occasional attacks on police.
