In a catastrophic data breach, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) inadvertently leaked the personal details of **18,700 applicants** to the Afghan resettlement schemes, exposing highly sensitive information that placed thousands of vulnerable individuals—including Afghan interpreters, allies, and their families—at severe risk of retaliation, persecution, or harm. The breach was concealed under an **unprecedented 18-month superinjunction**, blocking public and parliamentary scrutiny while the government failed to address the fallout effectively. Despite the legal gag being lifted in July 2023, **4,200 eligible applicants and their families remain stranded**, awaiting relocation under the scheme. The incident revealed systemic failures in data protection, transparency, and accountability, with MPs and journalists highlighting a **culture of secrecy** within the MoD. The breach not only endangered lives but also undermined trust in the UK’s resettlement programs and its commitment to protecting at-risk Afghans who had assisted British forces.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/uk-ministry-of-defence
"id": "uk-22100222110425",
"linkid": "uk-ministry-of-defence",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "7/2023",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "8",
"explanation": "Attack that could bring to a war"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '18,700 applicants (primarily '
'Afghans under resettlement '
'schemes)',
'industry': 'Defence/Military',
'location': 'United Kingdom',
'name': 'UK Ministry of Defence (MoD)',
'type': 'Government Agency'},
{'customers_affected': '18,700 (including 4,200 still '
'awaiting relocation as of '
'October 2023)',
'location': ['Afghanistan',
'United Kingdom (pending relocation)'],
'name': 'Afghan Resettlement Scheme Applicants',
'type': 'Individuals'}],
'customer_advisories': ['Limited communication to affected Afghans (details '
'undisclosed)'],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': ['Unintentional (via human '
'error/misconfiguration)'],
'number_of_records_exposed': '18,700',
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Names',
'Contact Information',
'Resettlement '
'Eligibility Status'],
'sensitivity_of_data': ['High (included identities of at-risk '
'Afghans)'],
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)',
'Resettlement Application '
'Details']},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2023-07',
'description': 'The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) inadvertently breached the '
'personal details of 18,700 applicants to the UK resettlement '
'schemes, primarily affecting Afghans eligible for relocation '
'under the ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) '
'program. The breach was concealed under a superinjunction for '
'nearly two years, raising concerns about government '
'transparency and the safety of affected individuals. The data '
'leak exposed applicants to potential risks, including '
"identity theft and targeted threats, while the MoD's handling "
'of the incident—including the use of legal gag orders and '
'lack of parliamentary disclosure—sparked a high-profile '
'inquiry by the Defence Select Committee and the Intelligence '
'and Security Committee.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': ["Severe damage to MoD's reputation due "
'to secrecy and mishandling',
'Erosion of public trust in '
'governmental data protection '
'practices'],
'customer_complaints': ['Reports from affected Afghans and '
'advocacy groups regarding safety risks '
'and relocation delays'],
'data_compromised': ['Personal Details of 18,700 Applicants (e.g., '
'names, contact information, resettlement '
'eligibility status)'],
'identity_theft_risk': ['High (exposed personal data of vulnerable '
'applicants)'],
'legal_liabilities': ['Superinjunction imposed for ~2 years (later '
'lifted)',
'Defence Select Committee inquiry',
'Intelligence and Security Committee '
'investigation',
'Potential legal actions from affected '
'individuals'],
'operational_impact': ['Legal battles spanning 18 months',
'Parliamentary and public distrust in MoD '
'transparency',
'Ongoing delays in resettlement '
'processing']},
'investigation_status': ['Ongoing (Defence Select Committee inquiry)',
'Ongoing (Intelligence and Security Committee '
'investigation)'],
'lessons_learned': ['Transparency failures in governmental data breaches can '
'exacerbate harm to vulnerable populations.',
'Legal gag orders (e.g., superinjunctions) may undermine '
'public trust and accountability.',
'Ongoing delays in resettlement schemes highlight '
'systemic issues in crisis response.'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Pending inquiry '
'recommendations',
'Potential reforms to ARAP '
'scheme data management',
'Increased parliamentary '
'scrutiny of MoD practices'],
'root_causes': ['Human error in data handling',
'Lack of oversight for sensitive '
'resettlement data',
'Cultural secrecy within MoD, '
'prioritizing operational security '
'over transparency']},
'recommendations': ['Implement stricter data handling protocols for sensitive '
'resettlement programs.',
'Avoid legal suppression tactics that hinder public '
'oversight.',
'Accelerate relocation efforts for at-risk applicants '
'affected by the breach.',
'Enhance parliamentary and independent oversight of MoD '
'data practices.'],
'references': [{'source': 'The Independent',
'url': 'https://www.independent.co.uk'},
{'source': 'Parliament TV (Defence Select Committee Hearing)',
'url': 'https://parliamentlive.tv'},
{'source': 'Daily Mail (Sam Greenhill)',
'url': 'https://www.dailymail.co.uk'},
{'source': 'The Times (Larisa Brown)',
'url': 'https://www.thetimes.co.uk'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': ['Superinjunction (later lifted)',
'Defence Select Committee inquiry',
'Intelligence and Security '
'Committee investigation'],
'regulations_violated': ['UK Data Protection Act '
'2018 (GDPR)',
'Parliamentary '
'Transparency Obligations'],
'regulatory_notifications': ['Delayed (due to '
'superinjunction)']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Initial suppression via '
'superinjunction',
'Post-disclosure: Parliamentary '
'hearings and media engagement'],
'containment_measures': ['Superinjunction to suppress public '
'disclosure (controversial)'],
'incident_response_plan_activated': ['Superinjunction imposed '
'(later lifted)',
'Internal review (details '
'undisclosed)'],
'recovery_measures': ['Limited evacuations resumed '
'post-superinjunction',
'Ongoing parliamentary scrutiny'],
'remediation_measures': ['Defence Select Committee inquiry',
'Intelligence and Security Committee '
'investigation',
'Potential policy reforms (pending '
'inquiry outcomes)']},
'stakeholder_advisories': ['Defence Select Committee hearings',
'Media disclosures post-superinjunction lift'],
'title': 'UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Afghan Resettlement Scheme Data Breach',
'type': ['Data Breach', 'Privacy Violation', 'Governmental Misconduct'],
'vulnerability_exploited': ['Human Error',
'Improper Data Handling',
'Lack of Oversight']}