THE Metropolitan Police were on red alert tonight after details of officers and staff were hacked in a massive security breach.
All 47,000 personnel were warned of the risk their photos, names and ranks had been stolen when cyber crooks penetrated the IT systems of a contractor printing warrant cards and staff passes.
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The Metropolitan Police are on red alert after details of officers and staff were hacked in a massive security breachCredit: Rex
Information taken also included vetting levels and ID numbers.
Met Police Federation vice chair Rick Prior said: “Metropolitan Police officers are out on the streets of London undertaking some of the most difficult and dangerous roles imaginable to catch criminals and keep the public safe.
“To have their personal details leaked out into the public domain in this manner will cause colleagues incredible concern and anger.
“We share that sense of fury. This is a staggering security breach.”
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been called in by the Met to investigate amid fears that terrorists or networks of organised criminals could use the stolen passes.
Safety fears mounted as it emerged senior officials and officers working on top-secret operations have been hit by the breach.
High-ranking members of the Met’s senior management team, including Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and his deputy Dame Lynne Owens, will be affected.
Counter-terrorism cops and officers assigned to guard the Royal Family have also been exposed.
Undercover officers may have to be pulled from the field — forcing cops to pull the plug on crucial operations.
As the nightmare unravelled, Metropolitan Police Service bosses sent a message to staff urging them to “remain vigilant”.
They added: “The company had access to names, ranks, photo, vetting levels and identification numbers for officers and staff. It did not hold personal information such as address, phone numbers or financial details.”
Earlier this month, it emerged that data of 10,000 Northern Ireland police personnel was mistakenly disclosed.
Ex-Met commander John O’Connor branded the latest breach “utterly outrageous”.
He said: “Anyone using these details to produce a warrant card or pass could gain access to a police station or secure area.
“There is also a huge concern that photographs of police on undercover units, surveillance or in sensitive areas like counter-terrorism could fall into the wrong hands. This data breach has put the safety of police at risk.”
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Information taken also included vetting levels and ID numbersCredit: Alamy
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