Secret information regarding key military and intelligence facilities in Great Britain has been made public, according to The Daily Mirror. The publication claims that the incident involves Russian-speaking hackers associated with the Lockbit group, although specific evidence of Russia’s involvement has not yet been provided. The data leak occurred last month following a large-scale raid on Zaun, a company specializing in the production of safety fences for facilities with heightened security requirements.
Thousands of pages of confidential information were discovered in the dark web. The leaked data includes information that could potentially facilitate illegal access to HMNB Clyde submarines, Porton Down, and the GCHQ radio electronic laboratory complex. Additionally, compromised data regarding high-security prisons and key military facilities for national cybersecurity were exposed.
Kevan Jones, a member of the defense committee from the Labor Party, expressed concern, stating, “This poses a potentially significant threat to the safety of our most sensitive assets.” Tobayas Ellwood, Chairman of the same committee, emphasized that this incident necessitates a reassessment of current security measures in the digital sphere.
The Lockbit group has long been under scrutiny by the FBI and other international organizations. They have been accused of conducting cyber attacks worldwide and extorting substantial sums of money. Over the past few years, the hackers have demanded approximately £80 million in ransom.
Zaun, the company targeted in the raid, confirmed the potential leak. They believe the hackers had access to emails, orders, drawings, and project files. However, Zaun claims that classified information related to national security was not stored on the compromised systems. An investigation is currently underway to determine the extent of the leaked data and its potential impact on the country’s security.
Zaun is a British company that specializes in the production of fences and perimeter protection systems for high-risk objects. Established in 1996 with its headquarters in Wolverhampton, the organization focuses on developing and manufacturing high-tech solutions to safeguard critical infrastructures, including military bases, nuclear power plants, airports, prisons, and sports facilities. Zaun also provided protective barriers for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.