British Trade Department Minister Chris Bryant confirmed on Friday that the UK government suffered a cyberattack in October, partially validating a report by The Sun newspaper. The report claimed that Storm 1849, a Chinese-linked hacking group, may have accessed Foreign Office data, potentially including tens of thousands of visa records.
Read More: Details of UK military personnel exposed in huge payroll data breach
Bryant clarified that it is not confirmed whether the attack was directly linked to Chinese operatives or the Chinese state. He described media reports as “speculation” and said the government is continuing its investigation. Officials are currently “fairly confident” that the breach poses a low risk to individuals.
British trade minister Chris Bryant said the government had been hacked in October, partly confirming a report in the Sun newspaper, which said a Chinese group had breached systems to access foreign office data https://t.co/cJbMhgm6jB
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 19, 2025
‘There has been a hack’
Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant spoke to #BBCBreakfast about a cyber hack on systems operated on the Home Office’s behalf by the Foreign Office – but ‘couldn’t confirm if it was related to China or not’https://t.co/dQ1ANIlja6 pic.twitter.com/FNJ9n1n3eT
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) December 19, 2025
🚨BREAKING: Chinese hackers hacked into Foreign Office servers in October and accessed thousands of confidential documents and data, including possible visa details 🇨🇳 🇬🇧
We must SCRAP the super embassy that Starmer is allowing China to build in London IMMEDIATELY ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/UmfeCZQMlI
— BRITAIN IS BROKEN 🇬🇧 (@BROKENBRITAIN0) December 18, 2025
“The hole was closed very quickly,” Bryant told Sky News, referring to the breach as a technical issue at one of the government’s sites. Storm 1849 is reportedly part of a state-aligned hacking network that has targeted politicians and groups critical of China.
The incident comes amid a string of major cyberattacks affecting the UK this year. Jaguar Land Rover had to halt production for five weeks, while Marks & Spencer suspended online orders for six weeks due to cyber intrusions, highlighting ongoing concerns over digital security.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously warned that China poses “national security threats” to Britain but defended the government’s decision to maintain engagement. Starmer is expected to visit Beijing in late January.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office emphasized that the government takes the security of its systems and data “extremely seriously” and is actively investigating the incident. Authorities have assured the public that immediate steps were taken to secure the affected systems and mitigate risks.
Read More: UK blames North Korea for May’s ‘WannaCry’ cyber attack
The UK government continues to monitor developments closely, urging caution in interpreting initial reports while emphasizing that no evidence currently suggests widespread impact on citizens’ personal information.