Details of police officers have been stolen following a ransomware attack on a third-party supplier that makes ID cards for a police force in the U.K.

The attack involved a ransomware attack on Stockport that resulted in the theft of personal details of police officers and staff employed by the Greater Manchester Police.  The exact number of IDs stolen is not clear, with local reports suggesting that the data theft was in the thousands. According to Statista, GMP employed 7,388 police officers as of 2022.

The data stolen included details that appear on identity badges and warrant cards, including names, photos and identity numbers or police collar numbers. According to an officer who spoke to the BBC, while the names of many officers were publicly available, there is particular concern regarding the identities of undercover offices.

In a statement, GMP said that it was aware of a ransomware attack affecting a third-party supplier and that, at this stage, it’s not believed to include financial information.

“We understand how concerning this is for our employees, so as we work to understand any impact on GMP, we have contacted the Information Commissioner’s Office and are doing everything we can to ensure employees are kept informed, their questions are answered and they feel supported,” said Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane of Greater Manchester Police. “This is being treated extremely seriously, with a nationally led criminal investigation into the attack.”

The form of ransomware used in the attack has not been disclosed. Notably, the attack on Stockport is likely not limited to GMP alone, as the company makes ID cards for various other organizations.

The attack on MCP follows a data breach in August that affected the Metropolitan Police, the police force that serves London. In that case, a security breach involving the information technology system of one of its suppliers may have compromised the personal details of serving police officers.

“From the very little information we have, most likely this security incident was not a targeted attack on the Greater Manchester Police,” Ilia Sotnikov, security strategist and vice president of user experience at data security company Netwrix Corp., told SiliconANGLE. “It looks more like an opportunistic ransomware attack on one of the GMP’s suppliers – a producer of police warrant cards.”

Sotnikov added that on the one hand, this means there shouldn’t be an immediate impact on the police officers and staff. “On the other hand, we are talking about financially motivated cybercriminals that will be happy to sell the stolen information to anyone who agrees to buy it,” he said.

Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at security awareness training company KnowBe4 Inc., said the breach highlights that “it’s essential for law enforcement agencies to conduct rigorous security assessments of their third-party suppliers and ensure they meet stringent cybersecurity standards.”

Photo: Wallpaper Flare