In February 2022, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) suffered a catastrophic **data breach** exposing the personal details of nearly **19,000 Afghans**—interpreters, soldiers, and support staff—who had worked with British forces during the Afghanistan War. The leaked dataset, undiscovered until **August 2023**, included names and resettlement applications, placing individuals and their families at **direct risk of Taliban retaliation**, including **targeted killings, torture, and forced displacement**. Evidence later revealed that the Taliban’s **Yarmouk 60 unit** actively hunted UK-affiliated Afghans, exploiting the breach to locate and harm victims. Despite initial government denials (via the **Rimmer Review**), testimonies confirmed **49 deaths** linked to the leak, with families systematically targeted when primary individuals could not be found. The MoD’s delayed response—including a **super-injunction suppressing public disclosure**—further endangered lives by preventing warnings. Only **~1,500 of the 19,000 affected** were resettled in the UK, leaving most exposed. The breach’s **lethal consequences** underscore systemic failures in data protection, risk assessment, and humanitarian accountability.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/uk-ministry-of-defence
"id": "uk-3562135110225",
"linkid": "uk-ministry-of-defence",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "2/2022",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "7",
"explanation": "Attack that could injure or kill people"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '18,825 Afghans (direct) + '
'family members (indirect)',
'industry': 'defense/military',
'location': 'United Kingdom',
'name': 'UK Ministry of Defence (MoD)',
'type': 'government agency'},
{'customers_affected': '18,825 (direct) + families',
'location': 'Afghanistan (primarily)',
'name': 'Afghan interpreters, soldiers, and staff who '
'worked with UK forces',
'type': 'individuals/civilians'}],
'customer_advisories': ['Limited direct communication with affected Afghans '
'due to super-injunction (2023–2024).',
'Post-disclosure: MoD statements downplaying risks '
'(contrasted by victim testimonies).',
'Charities (e.g., Refugee Legal Support) providing '
'informal warnings to at-risk individuals.'],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'yes (leaked externally)',
'number_of_records_exposed': '18,825 (approx.)',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'yes (comprehensive '
'PII)',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'extreme (life-endangering; used for '
'targeted killings)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['full names',
'roles with UK forces',
'resettlement application status',
'family member details']},
'date_detected': '2023-08',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-07',
'description': 'A leak of personal data belonging to nearly 19,000 Afghans '
'who worked with British forces during the Afghanistan war was '
'discovered in August 2023, though the breach occurred in '
'February 2022. The dataset included details of individuals '
'who had applied for resettlement in the UK post-Taliban '
'takeover. The leak was initially suppressed by a '
"super-injunction due to fears of 'grave risk, including risk "
"of death' if the data fell into Taliban hands. Evidence later "
'emerged suggesting the leak led to targeted killings by a '
"Taliban unit (Yarmouk 60), contradicting the UK government's "
'downplayed risk assessment (Rimmer Review). The incident '
'raised concerns about inadequate protection for affected '
'individuals and their families, with only ~1,500 of the '
'19,000 leaked records resulting in resettlement offers.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': ['damage to UK MoD/GOV credibility',
'accusations of downplaying risks',
'perceived abandonment of allies'],
'customer_complaints': ['widespread distress among affected '
'Afghans',
'criticism from humanitarian '
'organizations'],
'data_compromised': {'records': '18,825 (approx.)',
'sensitivity': 'extreme (life-threatening)',
'types': ['personal identifiable information '
'(PII)',
'resettlement application details',
'family member identities']},
'identity_theft_risk': 'high (exploited for targeted violence)',
'legal_liabilities': ['potential lawsuits for negligence',
'violation of data protection obligations'],
'operational_impact': ['closure of Afghanistan Response Route '
'(resettlement scheme)',
'loss of trust in UK government protection '
'programs']},
'initial_access_broker': {'data_sold_on_dark_web': 'unconfirmed (but '
'exploited by Taliban)',
'high_value_targets': ['Afghan interpreters',
'special forces '
'collaborators',
'resettlement applicants']},
'investigation_status': 'ongoing (Defence Select Committee inquiry; '
'independent reviews demanded)',
'lessons_learned': ['Super-injunctions may exacerbate risks by drawing '
'attention to suppressed data.',
'Risk assessments must incorporate ground-level evidence '
'(e.g., Afghan testimonies) alongside intelligence '
'reports.',
'Resettlement programs require agility to respond to '
'dynamic threats (e.g., Taliban units like Yarmouk 60).',
'Transparency delays can erode trust and hinder '
'protective measures.'],
'motivation': {'exploitation': ['targeted persecution',
'retaliation against UK-affiliated Afghans',
'intimidation']},
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Proposed: Independent '
'public inquiry with Afghan '
'participation.',
'Demanded: Expansion of '
'resettlement quotas and '
'accelerated processing.',
'Suggested: Reform of '
'super-injunction protocols '
'for life-threatening '
'breaches.',
'Urged: Transparency about '
'Taliban targeting methods '
'(e.g., Yarmouk 60).'],
'root_causes': ['Inadequate data protection for '
'high-risk humanitarian datasets.',
'Over-reliance on intelligence '
'assessments without ground-level '
'validation.',
'Political prioritization of '
'suppression (super-injunction) '
'over victim protection.',
'Failure to anticipate Taliban '
'exploitation tactics (e.g., '
'Yarmouk 60).',
'Bureaucratic delays in '
'resettlement processing.']},
'recommendations': ['Reopen and expand resettlement pathways for all affected '
'individuals, including family members.',
'Conduct an independent inquiry with Afghan community '
'representation.',
'Establish a compensation fund for victims and families '
'of those harmed.',
'Review and reform data protection practices for '
'high-risk humanitarian datasets.',
'Publish a public apology and corrective action plan.'],
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2024-10',
'source': 'The Observer / The Guardian',
'url': 'https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jul/28/afghan-interpreters-data-leak-taliban-killings-uk-government'},
{'date_accessed': '2024-10',
'source': 'UK Defence Select Committee Inquiry Evidence'},
{'date_accessed': '2024-10',
'source': 'Refugee Legal Support Survey (Prof. Sara de Jong & '
'Prof. Victoria Canning)'},
{'date_accessed': '2024-06',
'source': 'Rimmer Review (UK MoD)'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': ['super-injunction (2023–2024)',
'defense select committee inquiry '
'(2024)',
'potential future lawsuits'],
'regulations_violated': ['UK Data Protection Act '
'2018 (likely)',
'GDPR (potential)',
'human rights obligations'],
'regulatory_notifications': ['delayed disclosure to '
'public',
'limited transparency '
'with affected '
'individuals']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['initial suppression via '
'super-injunction',
'delayed public disclosure (July '
'2024)',
'defensive statements by MoD'],
'containment_measures': ['super-injunction to suppress '
'disclosure (2023–2024)',
'limited resettlement offers (7,355 '
'total, including family members)'],
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'yes (super-injunction '
'imposed in 2023)',
'recovery_measures': ['partial resettlement of 1,500 direct '
'victims + families'],
'remediation_measures': ['Rimmer Review (risk assessment)',
'closure of Afghanistan Response Route'],
'third_party_assistance': ['legal (court injunction)',
'intelligence assessments (Rimmer '
'Review)']},
'stakeholder_advisories': ['UK Parliament (Defence Select Committee)',
'Humanitarian organizations (e.g., Refugee Legal '
'Support)',
'Afghan community representatives',
'Journalists covering Afghanistan'],
'threat_actor': {'primary': 'Unknown (initial leak)',
'secondary': ['Taliban (exploitation)',
'Yarmouk 60 (Taliban unit targeting affected '
'individuals)']},
'title': 'UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Afghanistan Interpreters and Staff '
'Data Leak (2022)',
'type': ['data breach', 'unauthorized disclosure', 'humanitarian crisis']}