Cameras fitted to a fleet of Royal Navy surveillance drones used by Britain’s elite special forces were found sending data to an internet address in China, raising concerns about security vulnerabilities in military equipment and defence supply chains.
The security breach was discovered during a routine cyber assessment of the K3 Scout drones, a £12 million ($16.2 million) fleet operated by the Royal Marines, per The Telegraph. The drones are also expected to be used in planned operations in the Persian Gulf.
Cameras Made Unauthorised Connections
The drones were fitted with camera components manufactured in China. During the security assessment, analysts found that the camera systems were establishing outbound connections to a server located in China.
The cameras were sending automated “heartbeat” communications, small data packets designed to tell a remote server that a device is switched on and operating.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) intervened after the connections were detected and cut the cameras’ internet access to prevent further communication with the external server.
MoD Says No Sensitive Data was Compromised
The MoD said an investigation found no evidence that its data or systems had been accessed, compromised or transmitted outside the UK.
“A thorough investigation found no evidence of MoD data or systems being accessed, compromised or transmitted externally,” an MoD spokesperson said.
However, the discovery has raised concerns about the potential risks posed by components with unauthorised connectivity, particularly when they are incorporated into military equipment used for sensitive operations.
Security experts have warned that even basic metadata could potentially reveal information such as the location of equipment, operational schedules and when a device is activated.
Questions Over Defence Supply Chains
The £12 million drone fleet was supplied by British defence company Kraken Technology Group. The company sourced the optical equipment from a third-party supplier, which had reportedly provided assurances about the security of the components.
The incident has rekindled questions about how thoroughly commercially available components are vetted before being incorporated into military systems.
The use of off-the-shelf technology has become increasingly common in modern defence equipment, but security experts have warned that components connected to external networks can create vulnerabilities if their software or hardware is not properly assessed.
Drones Used by Royal Marines
The K3 Scout drones have been in service with the Royal Marines since March. They are designed for rapid maritime operations, including reconnaissance missions involving commando and special forces units.
Their planned use in the Persian Gulf makes the security discovery particularly significant, given the region’s strategic importance and the sensitivity of military surveillance operations.
Wider Review Ordered
The discovery comes amid growing concerns among Western governments about potential Chinese espionage and vulnerabilities in military supply chains.
The MoD has said it is carrying out a wider review of components used in military equipment to identify any other systems that may have unauthorised internet connectivity.
Officials have stressed that there is currently no evidence that sensitive British military information was accessed or transferred as a result of the incident.
Photo: A Royal Marines surveillance drone is pictured after a routine security check uncovered unauthorised network connections from its Chinese-made camera system. (Image/Navy Lookout)
Source: Firstpost