MoD Warned About Hidden Spreadsheet Data Before Afghan Applicants Leak
Documents from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office reveal the Ministry of Defence knew about hidden spreadsheet tabs before the 2022 leak that exposed personal data of nearly 19,000 Afghan relocation applicants.
Ministry of Defence staff received guidance warning them not to share spreadsheets containing hidden tabs before the Afghan data leak of 2022, according to documents released by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
In September 2022, an official inadvertently emailed a spreadsheet revealing the personal details of almost 19,000 Afghan relocation applicants via a hidden tab. The ICO’s memo shows that existing MoD instructions explicitly flagged the need to remove hidden data before sharing files.
Internal ICO emails express concern that the regulator did not fine the MoD, while smaller breaches by public bodies have drawn significant penalties. Staff also discussed the reputational risk of not taking action, noting that it took almost two years to decide whether to investigate formally.
The government estimates the breach will cost around £850 million, a figure described internally as “likely the most expensive email ever sent.” A super-injunction had prevented reporting the incident until it was lifted last month.
Since discovering the breach, the MoD has worked with the ICO to recover and delete data, tighten safeguards and improve staff training. An MoD spokesperson said they accepted all recommendations and have invested in better software and data experts to prevent a repeat.
The ICO’s records show that despite clear warnings about hidden tabs, the MoD failed to secure sensitive data, resulting in one of the government’s costliest information breaches.
This topic was reported by BBC.
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