- Device loss from the British state departments tops 2000 in just one year
- Experts fear that stolen units could give entry points for hackers
- Telephone and Tablet -TheThe Thrinking Posts Risk In spite of widespread encryption
Have you ever lost a phone or computer and worried about what anyone had to find on it?
Thousands of units have disappeared from the British government departments in the past year and are raising serious concerns about cyber security and data protection.
Analysis of The GuardianBased on information information, the government found that the government lost over 2,000 laptops, phones and tablets in the last 12 months, with a compensation cost estimated at around 1.3 million. Pound.
Surprisingly large number
The Department of Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Defense and the Cabinet Office reported every hundreds of lack of tech objects.
The Ministry of Defense alone recorded 103 missing laptops and 387 phones in just five months of 2025. Other affected departments included HM Treasury, Bank of England and the Home Office.
“We treat all security violations very seriously, and we demand that all suspected violations be reported. All incidents are exposed to an initial security risk assessment, with further actions taken on matters,” a against spokesman said.
The playback of fear added the Ministry of Defense, “Encryption on devices ensures that data is protected and prevents access to the defense network.”
This feeling was repeated by the Bank of England, who said it “takes the security of devices and data very seriously and has appropriate protection in place.”
The same official line was pulled out of a government spokesman who said, “We take the security of government units extremely seriously, which is why items such as laptops and mobile phones are always encrypted so that any loss does not compromise on security.”
Professor Alan Woodward, a cybersecurity expert at the University of Surrey was not so reassured and told The Guardian“These are surprisingly large numbers. When you talk about so many [it creates] A large attack surface [for hackers]. If 1% were system administrators who got their phones stolen, it’s enough to get in. “
He added, “If devices were open when stolen, which often happens with phones snapped on the street, criminals could keep them open and drill into the device, and when the phone is open, it is readable and accessible.”
