Personal Details of UK Armed Forces Personnel Leaked Following MoD Data Breach

Legal Director, Richard Forrest, runs through the details of a hugely damaging data breach involving the Ministry of Defence and the personal details of UK military personnel, as well as what steps any potential victims can take.

A cyber-attack which targeted the payroll system used by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has caused a data breach, exposing the personal details of an as-yet-unknown number of serving UK military personnel.

The data included in the breach is said to include personal information, such as names and bank details, of current and former members of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. In a small number of cases, personal addresses of military personnel have also been leaked.

BBC News, among other publications, has reported that the UK government believes that China is responsible for the attack.

The MoD is understood to have responded by taking the payroll system, which was managed by an external contractor, offline. Investigations into the cause and extent of the data breach are underway. Downing Street is also reviewing the security of the contractor’s operations.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in the UK said it strongly opposed the suggestion China was responsible and it had no need to "meddle in the internal affairs of the UK".

Anyone affected by the MoD data breach is expected to receive further information from the government in due course.

If you have been affected by the MoD data breach, and are unsure what steps you should take next, the team at Hayes Connor will be on hand to support you.

We are one of the country’s leading data breach experts and will be available to advise you on the best course of action for your personal circumstances.

To find out more and to receive prompt advice about your situation, please fill in our online enquiry form.

What to do if you are concerned about the MoD data breach

Organisations and employers which hold any form of personal data have certain legal obligations to keep it secure.

If you are a former or current member of the UK Armed Forces, and you have been contacted by the MoD to inform you that your personal data has been compromised, it is important to understand your rights and options moving forward.

It is also important to note that, if you are a member of the UK Armed Forces, and are concerned that your data has been compromised, it is essential that you get in touch with the MoD as soon as possible.

Whenever personal data is compromised in a data breach, there is a risk that it may be used for nefarious purposes. As such, you should be wary of any potential phishing attacks which are designed to extract further sensitive information from you.

There are several steps you can take to ward off someone using your personal data against you. To learn more about this, please read our helpful guide on what to do if your data has been stolen in a data breach.

If your data has been exposed in the MoD data breach, you should look to establish your legal options. This is where the expertise of our dedicated data breach solicitors will prove invaluable.

How Hayes Connor can help anyone affected by the MoD data breach

If personal data falls into the wrong hands for any reason, the potential consequences can be extremely severe, especially for any current or former members of the UK Armed Forces.

At Hayes Connor, we have one of the largest teams of data breach specialists in the country. We have a wealth of combined experience and expertise among our team which we use to support victims of all types of data breaches.

When you make an enquiry with our team, we will work closely with you to clarify the details of your case and what affect the data breach has had on you. From here, we can advise you on whether it would be possible to make a claim for data breach compensation and how this process would work.

We understand that discovering your personal data has been exposed can be incredibly distressing. We therefore always ensure to provide close personal support while also keeping the entire process as straightforward as possible.

You can find out more about our expertise and how we handle data breach claims here.

To speak to a member of our team about the MoD data breach, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0330 041 5132, or use our online enquiry form.