Ex-Chancellor Philip Hammond targeted by hackers while dealing with Salisbury poisonings
INDIAN based computer hackers targeted former Chancellor Philip Hammond while he was dealing with the fall out of the Salisbury poisonings, it emerged last night.
Hackers thought to be on order from European businessmen targeted the top politician during fraught Brexit negotiations and during the investigation into the Russian novichok attack in April 2018.
The Sunday Times reported the hacking gang called WhiteInt run from the Indian tech city of Gurugram, also targeted Liz Truss’s chief of staff Mark Fullbrook while during the Brexit referendum campaign while he was working for lobbyists.
More recently the gang are understood to have targeted new BBC Political Editor Chris Mason.
They are all understood to have been commissioned by a swiss based investigator.
The paper says Qatar was their biggest client, targeting critics of the upcoming World Cup.
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Last week it was reported that thousands of secret Liz Truss texts could be in the hands of left-wing UK newspapers after her phone was hacked.
Sources close to the former PM are worried at least a year’s worth of private messages had been handed to rivals as well as foreign states.
It comes after reports her mobile was compromised back when she was Foreign Secretary by suspected agents of Russia.
Ministers refused to deny the reports but would not comment further over fears it could enlighten enemies even more about how UK security services operate.
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A former MI6 chief yesterday warned that ministers need more cyber lessons.
Sir Alex Younger said top politicians were not being trained up enough on the dangerous security threats which could hit their phones.
He told Times Radio there was no such thing as a totally secure phone, but added: “Levels of education aren’t high enough, and I don’t think people are focusing enough on the risks to their security and their devices.
“These are hidden threats that aren’t properly understood. I think that’s true of ministers as anyone else, and there’s a premium on making sure they’re properly educated.”
