Hacker groups linked to Russia and China have broken into the systems of Britain's most dangerous nuclear site, the Guardian revealed on Monday.
According to the report, authorities are unclear when the breach of the Cellfield nuclear waste site took place, but signs of it were discovered as early as 2015 when dormant malware was discovered in the system. So far, it's also unclear whether the malware has been removed from the system. This means that the most sensitive activities in Sselfield, such as disposing of radioactive waste, leak control and fire detection, may be vulnerable to external influence.
Guardian sources also estimate that the foreign hackers have gained access to highly classified materials. To make matters worse, according to the Guardian, the site's executives concealed and covered up the hack and its consequences.
According to British security officials, cyberespionage and cyberattacks by Russia and China are among the biggest threats to the UK. An attack on nuclear sites was also included in the National Register of Risks, an official document listing the greatest risks to the kingdom. Moreover, GCHQ's cyber department, the UK's government agency for information and communications security, also pointed to a high risk of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by Russia and China.
The Selfield site, located in the county of Cumbria in northwest England, was established in 1942 as an ammunition factory. After World War II, it was expanded and converted to nuclear activity. By 2003, it also produced nuclear energy.
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