Hackers breach security over UK officials

The addresses were contained in a database of subscribers to American consultancy Stratfor which also featured encrypted versions of the passwords used to access its website.

Cyber-security expert John Bumgarner identified the email addresses of 221 Ministry of Defence officials, 242 Nato staff, 67 Scotland Yard and other police personnel, 45 Foreign Office civil servants, 14 from the Home Office, and seven from the Cabinet Office.

British Government sources stressed that the breach was “not a big deal”.

Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn was among 23 people who work in the Houses of Parliament whose details were obtained.

The database contained thousands more email addresses, of mainly Americans, including 19,000 members of the United States armed forces.

It was exposed by hackers, believed to be part of the Anonymous group, who gained access to the records over Christmas.

Stratfor, which is based in Texas, specialises in foreign affairs and security issues. It had the details of user identifications – mostly email addresses – and encrypted passwords stored in spreadsheets.

Mr Bumgarner, of research body the US Cyber Consequences Unit, said: “Any foreign intelligence service targeting Britain could find these emails useful in identifying individuals connected to sensitive government activities.”

A British Government spokesman said: “We are aware that subscriber details for the Stratfor website have been published in the public domain. At present, there is no indication of any threat to UK government systems.”