Hundreds of leaked government email addresses and passwords have surfaced on the dark web, raising grave concerns over national security and the safety of sensitive UK citizen data.
Hundreds of passwords linked to government departments leaked on dark web
An exclusive report has revealed that more than 700 login credentials linked to nine UK government departments were exposed online over the past 12 months.
This revelation has triggered fears among cybersecurity experts, with some warning that critical infrastructure, including power grids and law enforcement systems, could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Sensitive Logins from Key Departments
The Ministry of Justice was hit hardest, with 195 passwords leaked. It was followed closely by:
- Department for Work and Pensions – 122 credentials leaked
- Ministry of Defence – 111 credentials exposed
Other affected entities include:
- The Home Office
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- Department for Transport
- UK Parliament
- Department of Health and Social Care
- HM Revenue & Customs
Cybersecurity researchers are sounding the alarm over the scale and potential consequences of the breach.
“All it takes is for one account to be active still, and that’s a potential initial attack vector for an external actor, because they’re motivated and know what they’re doing,” said Dr Gareth Mott, cybersecurity fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
Classified Military Files Also at Risk
Even more worrying are reports of nine attempts to sell classified UK military and NATO-related documents to malicious buyers online.
Experts have warned that such transactions could “directly undermine national security.”
A leading cybersecurity voice described the possible fallout of such a leak as “the Afghan lists on steroids”, a reference to the 2022 Ministry of Defence breach that compromised the identities of thousands connected to the UK’s resettlement programme in Afghanistan.
Hundreds of government email credentials have been exposed on the dark web, potentially granting hackers access to national infrastructure and military secrets.
As threats escalate, urgent questions are being raised about the UK’s cyber defences and what’s being done to protect taxpayers’ data.
Experts Warn: “Growing Danger” Looms
The report was compiled by NordStellar, a cyber threat monitoring firm. Its head of product, Vakaris Noreika, stated the government’s digital security posture has “dangerous vulnerability gaps,” leaving it “a prime target for cyber criminals.”
He warned that the leaked details could allow access to:
- Police and intelligence databases
- Citizen identification records
- Energy grids and water infrastructure systems
While it remains unclear whether any of the credentials have already been exploited, the risk of exploitation remains high.
“The hope would be that they are old passwords for old accounts… but that’s quite a lot of hoping,” said Dr Mott.
Cyber Onslaught Continues Across UK
This breach is the latest in a series of devastating cyber attacks on UK institutions:
- In April, the Legal Aid Agency was hit, compromising years of applicant data.
- HMRC lost £47 million to scammers in a phishing attack earlier this year.
- A cyber attack on Kido nurseries leaked the private data of thousands of children.
- Heathrow Airport faced disruption from a separate incident in September.
Even iconic British brands haven’t been spared:
- Jaguar Land Rover, M&S, Harrods, and Co-op all suffered ransomware attacks.
- Groups like Scattered Spider, DragonForce, and Hellcat have claimed responsibility.
Cyber Resilience Under Fire
In January, the National Audit Office (NAO) warned that the UK’s cyber defences were “severely lacking.”
Despite the creation of the GovAssure scheme, the NAO found “low levels of cyber maturity” across multiple departments.
“The risk of cyber attack is severe… yet the government’s work to address this has been slow,” said Gareth Davies, head of the NAO.
What’s Being Done?
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology says steps are being taken to strengthen digital defences.
“We’re launching a new cyber resilience model and preparing the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to protect critical infrastructure,” said a department spokesperson.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) echoed concerns, stating: “People often don’t have a choice on sharing their personal information with these bodies, so they must trust organisations are doing everything they can to protect their data.”
Meanwhile, UK Parliament insists it has “robust measures” in place but has not disclosed specific details.
Cybersecurity experts are unanimous: the UK is at a critical juncture. The growing sophistication of cybercriminal networks, state-sponsored hackers, and a backlog of digital vulnerabilities within government departments create a dangerous cocktail.
If this trend isn’t reversed quickly, the next breach may not just leak passwords – it could compromise national safety.
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