New Afghan data breach affects 3,700 following cyberattack on MoD contractor

Thousands of Afghan refugees and UK nationals have been affected by a cyberattack on Inflite The Jet Centre, a third-party airport contractor used by the government. The ransomware attack led to the leaking of names, dates of birth, passport numbers, and refugee details related to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). Former government ministers and armed forces personnel who used the airport were also affected.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has emailed more than 3,700 people about the incident. A government spokesperson said the data breach, which did not compromise any government systems, has not posed a threat to individuals' safety, unlike the 2022 personal data breach that led to thousands of Afghans being relocated to the UK. However, the attack will increase scrutiny of the government's data security, following a much larger breach that affected UK forces and Afghan refugees.

Inflite has reported the incident to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and is working with authorities, including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Those affected have been advised to be vigilant against unexpected communications or unusual activity. Unlike a previous breach, the Afghans affected by this leak are already in the UK.

In related news, new figures released to the BBC through a Freedom of Information request reveal that the government unit managing applications from Afghans seeking to relocate to the UK has been responsible for 49 personal data breaches over the past four years. Only four of these incidents were previously public, including a major data leak in 2022 that resulted in the longest superinjunction in UK history.

Seven of the breaches were serious enough to be reported to the ICO. Three of these had not been disclosed to the public before. The ICO stated that its work with the MoD is ongoing to ensure the required improvements have been made.