Northern Ireland police data leak: Every PSNI officer has data compromised in ‘monumental’ breach due to human error
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has apologised for a self-inflicted security breach which has compromised the data of every serving officer and member of staff.
The service inadvertently published the information in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on Tuesday.
The breach involved the surname, initials, the rank or grade, the work location and departments of all PSNI staff, but did not involve the officers’ and civilians’ private addresses.
It also reveals members of the organised crime unit, intelligence officers stationed at ports and airports, officers in the surveillance unit and almost 40 PSNI staff based at MI5’s headquarters in Holywood, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
PSNI officers have been the targets of republican paramilitaries in recent years and in March the terror threat level in Northern Ireland was raised to severe.
It comes just hours after the Electoral Commission revealed “hostile actors” managed to hack its systems, exposing the data of more than 40 million voters.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd apologised for the latest breach, saying: “I’ve had to inform the Information Commissioner’s office of a significant data breach that we’re responsible for.
“This is unacceptable.”
He said it was a result of “human error” with the people involved in the process having “acted in good faith”.
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‘Human error’ to blame for data breach
Mr Todd said the information was mistakenly made public for approximately two and a half to three hours after being published at 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoon.
The data breach was brought to his attention at 4pm and was then taken down within the hour.
He added the leak was “regrettable” and that steps had been identified to avoid a similar error from happening again.
Data breach plays into hands of those who deem officers of the crown legitimate targets
It would be difficult to exaggerate the scale of what the Police Federation is calling a “monumental” data breach.
Northern Ireland is the one part of the UK where the terror threat level has been raised from substantial to severe, meaning attacks are highly likely.
That threat comes from dissident Irish republicans, the self-styled New IRA in particular, a conglomerate of breakaway factions still pursuing Irish unity by violent means.
The release of the names and ranks of an estimated 10,000 serving police officers and civilian staff plays right into the hands of those who deem officers of the crown legitimate targets.
Earlier this year, the New IRA claimed responsibility for a gun attack on Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh – he was shot and seriously injured.
Police officers I’ve spoken to say they’re required to implement rigorous data protection protocols and are furious their own data has been breached.
Chief Constable Simon Byrne is under pressure to cut short his holiday and return to Northern Ireland.
Given that the security of his officers and their families should be his top priority, he would be wise to do so.
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Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has said he is “deeply concerned” about the breach.
Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said: “My officials are in close contact with senior officers and are keeping me updated.”
How did the breach occur?
Explaining how exactly the breach happened, Mr Todd said: “What’s happened is we’ve received a Freedom of Information request, that’s quite a routine inquiry, nothing untoward in that.
“We’ve responded to that request, which was seeking to understand the total numbers of officers and staff at all ranks and grade across the organisation, and in the response, unfortunately, one of our colleagues has embedded the source data, which informed that request.
“So, what was within that data was the surname, initial, the rank or grade, the location and the departments for each of our current employees across the police service.”
When asked how useful the information would be to terrorist organisations, Mr Todd said the breach is of “significant concern” to many colleagues and information on how they can protect their own personal security has been passed down.
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What will happen now?
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been notified about the incident.
An ICO spokesperson said: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland has made us aware of an incident and we are assessing the information provided.”
The Belfast Telegraph initially reported the breach, after the newspaper was made aware of the spreadsheet by the relative of a member of police staff.
It reported the spreadsheet had the response to the FOI about police staffing numbers in one tab – with the source information mistakenly included in another.
What reaction has there been?
Liam Kelly, chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), described the security breach as “monumental”.
He added: “Even if it was done accidentally, it still represents a data and security breach that should never have happened.
“Rigorous safeguards ought to have been in place to protect this valuable information which, if in the wrong hands, could do incalculable damage.
“The men and women I represent are appalled by this breach. They are shocked, dismayed and justifiably angry. Like me, they are demanding action to address this unprecedented disclosure of sensitive information.
“We have many colleagues who do everything possible to protect their police roles.
“We’re fortunate that the PSNI spreadsheet didn’t contain officer and staff home addresses, otherwise we would be facing a potentially calamitous situation.”
The DUP’s Policing Board representative, MLA Trevor Clarke, said the extent of the data breach in the PSNI is “unprecedented” and “deeply alarming”.
He added: “The public will be rightly seeking answers and they deserve to see a robust response from the PSNI senior command.”
The UUP representative on the Policing Board of Northern Ireland, MLA Mike Nesbitt, has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the breach, while Alliance leader Naomi Long MLA said it was of “profound concern”.
UK
Starmer urges anyone with information on Epstein case to come forward – after Andrew misses Congress deadline
Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.
US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.
When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former prince should help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”
He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.
Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters
It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.
Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.
Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
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Releasing the Epstein files: How we got here
But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.
Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.
“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.
“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”
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The new Epstein files: The key takeaways
It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.
He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.
A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.
Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.
Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.
There were no other reported injuries.
Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence
Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.
“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.
“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”
Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.
A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.
“The suspect remains in custody at this time.”
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Police said anyone with concerns should speak with their local neighbourhood policing team, either by emailing or approaching officers in person.
Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.
Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.
The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.
People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.
The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.
The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.
“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.
“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”
Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.
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Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.
“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.
The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”
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