The Stockport contractor at the centre of major GMP data hack - and the thousands of cops and civvies fearing criminals might target them
14.09.2023 - 20:03
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The GMP contractor behind a huge data hack can be revealed as Stockport-based firm Digital ID. The breach means some 12,000 GMP police officers and civilian workers are fearful leaked data from ID and warrant cards could be used by fraudsters or other criminals to target them.
Names, ranks, photos and serial numbers 'may have been accessed'. An internal email to GMP staff on Wednesday (September 13) revealed the name of the contractor where the breach happened as Digital ID.
The note to staff said the firm had been subjected to a 'ransomware attack which includes data of personnel at various public sector and other organisations across the UK including that of GMP and the Metropolitan Police'. Now the Stockport firm has spoken out about the attack for the first time.
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A Digital ID spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News: "Last month, we identified an IT security incident that affected the company's systems. We quickly engaged specialist external cyber and forensic consultants to conduct an investigation into the impact of this incident and the data that may be involved; this investigation remains ongoing."
The company was first contracted by GMP about 13-years-ago and also provided ID passes for party political conferences held in the city, the M.E.N. has been told. ID cards show a name, photo and serial number, but officers are concerned that some of the pictures may include metadata which provides a location where the picture was taken.
GMP bosses stress pictures for ID cards are taken at police stations. Mike Peake, chair of Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file cops,
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