Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Warning PM race may be hacked by Russia after GCHQ raised online vote fears

Warning PM race may be hacked by Russia after GCHQ raised online vote fears

GCHQ has warned the race for the UK's next Prime Minister could he hacked by Russia amid fears the online vote might be targeted.

Several intelligence sources said Russia could try to interfere in the "largely untested" online vote expect to take place next week.

Truss quit after 44 days of infighting and chaos - becoming Britain's shortest serving PM


Tory members will be returning to the polls to elect a new leader and PM after Liz Truss resigned from the top job on Thursday.

MPs have until Monday at 2pm to win the backing of at least 100 MPS to go in the running for the role.

Some 160,000 could take part in the crucial elections set for Friday, October 28, and are expect to submit their vote online.

Former national security advisor Sir Mark Lyall Grant said Britain's intelligence agencies should be "concerned" about a possible hack from Russian saboteurs.

The former advisor to PMs David Cameron and Theresa May told i: "If I were still national security advisor, I would be concerned about the integrity of an online vote for the Conservative Party leadership.

"There are certainly hostile powers who would have an interest in affecting the outcome."

A UK intelligence source told the publication they "doubt security will be strong enough" to carry out an online ballot, and warned of a "small chance of bad actors rigging things".

They said the chances of outside interference in next Friday's vote was "certainly not beyond the realms of possibility".

There are also concerns around voter ID and how Tory officials will be able to properly authenticate every voter's ID in such a short time frame.

"It’s the sort of thing that might not influence the actual result but would damage its reputation," the source said.

Tory Party chairman Jake Berry tried to ease voters' concerns saying that "all measures will be made" to ensure a safe vote, adding the party was "satisfied that the online voting system will be secure".

Cyber attacks could prove catastrophic for electoral processes with hackers able to influence results, shut down voting stations or change cast votes without detection.

Such were the security concerns that voting for the last Tory leader had to be delayed in August and plans to allow members to change their votes scuppered after the UK's communications spy agency, GCHQ, warned hackers could move to change votes without leaving a trace.

There are also fears the process could be open to "widespread abuse" by hostile actors "hacking into the system to skew any vote".

"You can bet that elements within Russia and China are working hard on it right now," a source told the i.

A Conservative Party spokesman tole The Sun Online: "We ran online voting just a few months ago in the last leadership contest.

"We worked with the National Cyber Security Centre, followed their security recommendations and it proved to be secure.

"We continue to work with the NCSC to once again run a secure online ballot."

The NCSC, a branch of GCHQ, said: “Defending UK democratic and electoral processes is a priority for the NCSC and we work closely with all Parliamentary political parties, local authorities and MPs to provide cyber security guidance and support.

“As the UK’s national technical authority for cyber security we continue to provide advice to the Conservative Party, including on security considerations for online leadership voting.”

Penny Mordaunt formally launched her leadership bid this afternoon

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×