Stride claims MoD acted ‘swiftly’ after reports of China hack

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps will update MPs on a cyber attack on a database containing details of armed forces personnel amid reports China was behind the hack.

A third-party payroll system has been hacked, potentially compromising the bank details of all serving personnel and some veterans. A very small number of addresses may also have been accessed.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) took immediate action when it discovered the breach, taking the external network – operated by a contractor – offline.

Cabinet minister Mel Stride said the Government takes cybersecurity “extremely seriously”, adding that the MoD acted “very swiftly” after reports of the hack came to light.

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