Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 01, 2025

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

Comments

Booster2000 3 year ago
RUSSIA...RUSSIA...RUSSIA...Boooooooooooring.
My 18year old kid could hack parts of the us-infrastructure while having a moscow-mule. Without problem!

"COULD BE". Is there actually anykind of proof or just another rubbish-article by some degenerated so called journalist who is feeding the current agenda, because if not..job gone, wife gone, life gone.
Wally 3 year ago
It's only hacked by russian if they don't get the globalist agenda ... Staying in the EU or a WEF stooge prime minister

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
×