LONDON — British Trade Department Minister Chris Bryant confirmed that the UK government experienced a cyberattack in October, partially validating a report by The Sun newspaper, which claimed that a Chinese group had breached government systems to access Foreign Office data.
“There certainly has been a hack,” Bryant told Times Radio on Friday, noting that the investigation into the incident is ongoing. He cautioned that much of the reporting around the breach remains “speculation,” but officials are “fairly confident” that the risk to individuals is low.
The Sun named the Chinese cyber group Storm 1849 as responsible for the attack. The gang is reportedly part of a state-aligned hacking apparatus and has previously targeted politicians and groups critical of the Chinese government. The report suggested that the breach could have exposed tens of thousands of visa details.
Bryant told Sky News that the government had “managed to close the hole very quickly,” describing the issue as a technical vulnerability at one of the government sites.
Earlier in December, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described China as posing “national security threats” to the UK. However, he defended the government’s decision to maintain engagement with China, noting an upcoming visit to Beijing scheduled for late January.
The incident at the Foreign Office follows a series of major cyberattacks on British companies earlier this year, highlighting growing cybersecurity challenges facing the UK.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said the department is continuing to investigate the breach and emphasized, “We take the security of our systems and data extremely seriously.”
Authorities have reassured the public that protective measures have been implemented to mitigate risks and prevent future incidents.
