The UK government has admitted to a major data leak, compromising personal information of Afghans who worked for British forces in Afghanistan. The recipients received an email warning that some of their sensitive data may have been accessed by unknown parties.
Those affected had applied for asylum in the UK due to concerns over their work with British forces making them targets for the Taliban. The data breach has left many terrified, as they fear it could put their lives at risk.
Defence Secretary John Healey apologised 24 hours after the email was sent, acknowledging it as one of the largest and most costly data leaks in government history. Former Afghan judge Marzia Babakarkhail expresses concern that the leaked data could endanger her countrymen’s lives.
The government advises those affected to limit their online activity, avoid responding to unknown messages, and consider closing their social media accounts to secure their safety.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2025/jul/18/why-thousands-of-afghans-were-secretly-relocated-to-the-uk-podcast