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The theft of something precious to 40 million people would typically ignite immediate outrage. However, this wasn’t the case when the UK Electoral Commission’s database became the crime scene. The delayed detection and subdued reaction are just as concerning as the theft itself.
Hackers managed to access the names and addresses of all individuals who registered to vote between 2014 and 2022 after August 2021. The security breach went unnoticed until October, and its public disclosure occurred this week. The culprits behind this act are believed to be “hostile actors,” which could include a criminal gang, a foreign state, or the former acting on behalf of the latter. Suspicion primarily falls on Russia.
The Kremlin has a history of interfering with British democracy, as highlighted in a 2019 report by the House of Commons intelligence and security committee. The report described Russian cyber-meddling as the “new normal.” However, its publication was delayed until July 2020 by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after allegations of Russian interference during an election campaign. The government’s failure to investigate Kremlin influence prevents an accurate assessment of its effectiveness.
This reluctance to uncover evidence that could taint a victory reflects both complacency towards digital sabotage and a winning side’s attitude. While the legal framework for fair elections revolves around analog processes, the same rules apply to the digital landscape, albeit with greater difficulty in enforcement. This emphasizes the need for a strong regulator, making it all the more damaging that the Electoral Commission has now been exposed as a vulnerable target for hackers.
Instead of strengthening democratic safeguards, the government undermined the commission’s independence, subjecting it to political priorities defined by the government through legislation. Some Conservative MPs even suggested abolishing the regulator, apparently disgruntled by inquiries into spending irregularities during the pro-Brexit campaign. Rather than addressing real risks, the government prioritized addressing the phantom threat of in-person fraud at polling stations, resulting in suppressed voter turnout.
The exact nefarious purpose behind the stolen information remains uncertain. This vast dataset could be exploited for scams and disseminating misinformation, eroding trust in public institutions merely through its loss alone.
The same sentiment applies to a recent alarming breach of data privacy by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This leak, revealing sensitive information about serving officers, has been attributed to “human error” – a serious mistake rather than an intentional act. However, the ease with which secret information slipped through official channels speaks to a culture of naivety regarding data security. Some accidents should be prevented from happening.
The public’s awareness of the risks in these cases lags far behind the sophistication of the criminals and rogue states that exploit these vulnerabilities. Instead of bolstering national defenses, the government has engaged in cynical deflection and manipulative tactics to take advantage of the outdated system for partisan gain. Despite Britain’s long-established democratic culture, it is not immune to modern sabotage methods. It requires a regulator capable of addressing 21st-century challenges and a government committed to robust regulation.
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