Russian hackers have stolen emails and personal data of officials and employees of the British Foreign Office, The Telegraph reports. The breach is part of a broader campaign dubbed FortiBleed, which compromised approximately 80,000 connections.
To gain access to the internal network, the hackers used previously stolen credentials, allowing them to infiltrate secure IT infrastructure. The leaked access list, cited by The Telegraph, includes emails, personal details, and passwords that enable infiltration of key systems across the United Kingdom. The hackers who released the data valued the access list at $60,000.
Among the compromised accounts are login credentials for IT staff at British embassies in Thailand and Mauritius, as well as for officials in Derbyshire and Waltham Forest in east London. Additionally, the database contains sensitive information related to critical state institutions, including the National Health Service (NHS) systems across Britain.
Nhs at risk from leaked data
Dr Saif Abed, a former NHS collaborator and doctor, warned that the consequences of this leak could be catastrophic. – This is precisely the type of attack that can initiate the deployment of malicious software, which will be catastrophic in its effects. It could endanger all patients across the entire country – said the former medic, as quoted by The Telegraph. The breach exposes vulnerabilities in the healthcare sector’s cybersecurity, raising alarms about potential disruptions to medical services and patient data safety.
The forensic analysis of the code used in the attack revealed that the hacking tools were written in Russian, though there is no direct evidence linking the attack to the Russian state. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has urged immediate isolation of all infected devices to prevent further spread of the breach.
Authorities scramble to contain damage
The scale of the FortiBleed operation highlights the persistent threat posed by state-sponsored cyber actors. The stolen credentials could be used to launch further attacks on government networks, crippling communications and compromising sensitive diplomatic exchanges. British security services are now working to identify the full extent of the intrusion and to patch the exploited vulnerabilities.
Public sector organisations, including local councils and embassies, have been advised to reset passwords and implement multi-factor authentication. The incident has also sparked a debate about the adequacy of cybersecurity measures in place to protect critical national infrastructure, especially in the health sector.
The NCSC has not confirmed whether any classified material was accessed, but the inclusion of high-level diplomatic accounts suggests a sophisticated and targeted operation. Investigations are ongoing, and further disclosures are expected.
Źródło: Polsatnews.pl, Fot. Polsatnews
