More UK cops' names and photos exposed in supplier breach

London's Metropolitan Police has said a third-party information breach exposed unit and officers' names, ranks, photos, vetting levels, and net information.

In a connection posted connected nan cops' website, nan unit said miscreants collapsed into a supplier's IT system, and utilized that unauthorized entree to bargain unit information. The supplier did not, however, shop constabulary addresses, telephone numbers aliases financial relationship specifications truthful it appears that information remains secure.

"Security measures person been taken by nan MPS arsenic a consequence of this report," nan statement said, adding that nan UK National Crime Agency and Information Commissioner's Office person some been made alert of nan breach.

The Met did not instantly respond to The Register's questions astir nan breach, including nan personality of nan supplier, really galore individuals' specifications were exposed, who was responsible for nan intrusion, and what information measures nan agency undertook arsenic a consequence of nan compromised IT system.

According to The Sun, which first reported connected nan breach, each 47,000 unit members and constabulary officers – including elder officials, undercover and counter-terrorism cops, and officers assigned to defender nan royal family – were exposed.

"Anyone utilizing these specifications to nutrient a warrant paper aliases walk could summation entree to a constabulary position aliases unafraid area," erstwhile Met commandant John O'Connor told nan newspaper.

"There is besides a immense interest that photographs of constabulary connected undercover units, surveillance aliases successful delicate areas for illustration counter-terrorism could autumn into nan incorrect hands," he added. "This information breach has put nan information of constabulary astatine risk."

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The Met information breach follows a fistful of different leaks astatine UK bull shops complete nan past fewer weeks.

On August 16, a man was arrested successful Northern Ireland aft constabulary posted a spreadsheet online that listed past names and initials of 10,000 serving officers successful nan Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), positive civilian unit members.

According to nan PSNI, nan information had been mistakenly published successful consequence to a Freedom of Information request, and nan man was arrested connected "suspicion of postulation of accusation apt to beryllium useful to terrorists."

That aforesaid week, England's Norfolk and Suffolk police besides copped to a leak. This one, blamed connected a "technical issue," resulted successful earthy information astir crime reports being mistakenly included successful Freedom of Information responses to crime statistic requests.

And conscionable days earlier that information blunder, Cumbria police accidentally published nan names, salaries, and allowances for each unit and officers online. ®