Almost 300 attempts made to access PSNI leaked data

Giving evidence at the High Court in Belfast, Chris Todd, the former assistant chief constable at the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), revealed that up to 300 attempts were made to access information leaked in the 2023 personal data breach. 

Todd explained that upon notification of the breach, he spearheaded 'Operation Sanukite' to quickly remove the data from public view. He added that while many access attempts were from PSNI employees, the information had also been accessed by organised criminals. To mitigate the fallout, the PSNI implemented various measures, including changing officers' service numbers, relocating covert teams, and enhancing security with financial support for staff. Todd also testified that a prioritisation system was established to assess individual risks, noting some officers required additional security. However, he confirmed there had been no targeted attacks following the data breach. 

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