Following warnings from MI5 that those involved in the UK election process could be targeted by China and Russia to “manipulate or compromise”, a new study has found that MPs' parliamentary email passwords could be available on the dark web.
Research by Proton, creator of one of the best password managers, showed that more than 200 passwords used by MPs to access parliamentary accounts had been found on the dark web, and one MP had 10 passwords exposed.
Password breach puts many highly sensitive parliamentary services at risk, and Proton notifies affected MPs.
urgent warning
Many people underestimate their vulnerability, but the reality is that everyone is a potential target,” said Eammonn Maguire, head of account security at Proton.
“Surveillance is essential for anyone in the public eye to safeguard both personal and national security, and we call on the new government after the general election to take cybersecurity seriously and for all parliamentarians to adopt best security practices.” account security”.
With the UK set to go to the polls on July 4 this year, London Mayor Sadiq Knah, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labor leader Keir Starmer have all had their images doctored in deepfakes, some more obviously fake than others, highlighting the potential for political adversaries or foreign agents to mislead the public and potentially influence the outcome of elections.
A parliamentary spokesman said CityAM, “Parliament takes cybersecurity very seriously. “We have robust measures in place, including providing advice to users to raise their awareness of the risks and how to manage their digital security, working closely with our partners at the National Cyber Security Centre.”
