Personal Phone of Former UK Prime Minister Truss Hacked by Russia, Publication Claims

Liz Truss’s personal phone might have been hacked by Russia before she became prime minister, reported UK tabloid the Daily Mail Online.

The alleged hack took place when Truss was still Foreign Secretary, and Boris Johnson was head of the government. The tabloid says Russian agents compromised her personal phone and stole private messages she exchanged with her colleague Kwasi Kwarteng and other international figures.

“The cyber-spies are believed to have gained access to top-secret exchanges with key international partners as well as private conversations with her leading political ally, Kwasi Kwarteng,” the publication wrote. “One source said that the phone was so heavily compromised that it has now been placed in a locked safe inside a secure Government location.”

The Daily Mail also says that authorities have been well aware of the security incident but chose to keep it a secret, especially since hackers might have also stolen highly sensitive discussions with senior international foreign ministers about the war in Ukraine, details about arms shipments and more.

Security sources within the government revealed these details to the publication, which could explain why Liz Truss changed her long-standing personal number shortly after becoming Foreign Secretary in Boris Johnson’s cabinet.

The government responded to this new information that surfaced online only to say the following: “We do not comment on individuals’ security arrangements. The government has robust systems in place to protect against cyber threats. That includes regular security briefings for Ministers, and advice on protecting their personal data.”

If true, the hack of a highly-ranking official in the UK’s government is a severe breach, especially since Environment Secretary Mark Spencer just revealed that all misters use their personal devices on a regular basis.