The identities of over 100 British officials, including members of the special forces and MI6, have been compromised in a significant data breach, which also jeopardized the safety of thousands of Afghans. Reports emerged after a High Court judge lifted a "super-injunction" that had prevented disclosure of the breach. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that the personal data of approximately 19,000 Afghans, who had allied with British forces during the two-decade conflict and were seeking resettlement in the UK, was inadvertently leaked. Many of these individuals are considered vulnerable to Taliban retaliation due to their connection with British forces.
The breach was initially kept under wraps due to its severe implications. It was spat upon by a decision that allowed relevant media to disclose more details following the lifting of the injunction. Reports indicate the leak originated from an individual at UK Special Forces headquarters, who mistakenly emailed over 30,000 resettlement applications to an unauthorized recipient, believing it was a smaller group of just 150 candidates.
The discovery of the breach led to the establishment of the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) by the UK government, aimed at facilitating the resettlement of affected individuals, despite not informing them about the breach itself. So far, this initiative has enabled 4,500 Afghans and their families to enter the UK, with an additional 2,400 anticipated at an estimated cost of £850 million.
Defence Secretary John Healey characterized the incident as a "serious departmental error," while acknowledging that it reflects ongoing challenges with data protection involving Afghan relocation schemes. Despite apprehensions about Taliban monitoring, relatives of those affected reported intensifying searches for individuals named in the leaked documents.
The MoD has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the breach's repercussions, including the potential harm inflicted on those named in the data leak, and emphasized that the security of personnel in sensitive roles remains a priority.
The breach was initially kept under wraps due to its severe implications. It was spat upon by a decision that allowed relevant media to disclose more details following the lifting of the injunction. Reports indicate the leak originated from an individual at UK Special Forces headquarters, who mistakenly emailed over 30,000 resettlement applications to an unauthorized recipient, believing it was a smaller group of just 150 candidates.
The discovery of the breach led to the establishment of the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) by the UK government, aimed at facilitating the resettlement of affected individuals, despite not informing them about the breach itself. So far, this initiative has enabled 4,500 Afghans and their families to enter the UK, with an additional 2,400 anticipated at an estimated cost of £850 million.
Defence Secretary John Healey characterized the incident as a "serious departmental error," while acknowledging that it reflects ongoing challenges with data protection involving Afghan relocation schemes. Despite apprehensions about Taliban monitoring, relatives of those affected reported intensifying searches for individuals named in the leaked documents.
The MoD has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the breach's repercussions, including the potential harm inflicted on those named in the data leak, and emphasized that the security of personnel in sensitive roles remains a priority.
