Cell phone is said to have been hacked by Russia

(dpa) After a media report about a successful hacker attack on ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss’ mobile phone, politicians from all parties are demanding clarification from the British government. The newspaper “Mail on Sunday” reported that suspected Russian attackers had managed to crack the cell phone of the then foreign minister in the summer. It is assumed that they came into possession of secret messages with international allies as well as private conversations, the newspaper wrote on Sunday, citing several sources.

“We do not comment on safety precautions for individuals,” the government said. There are robust systems to protect against cyber threats. “This includes regular security briefings for cabinet members, as well as advice on protecting their personal information and mitigating cyber threats.”

The Mail on Sunday reported that the successful hacking attack was discovered during the Conservative Party’s contest to succeed then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. At that time, Truss prevailed. According to “Mail” information, Johnson knew about the hack, but he and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case withheld the information. “If it turns out that this information was withheld from the public to protect Liz Truss’ candidacy, it would be unforgivable,” said Liberal Democrat foreign policy spokesman Layla Moran.

Defense politician Tobias Ellwood of Truss’ Conservative Party called on Sky News for a parliamentary committee to investigate the reports. The domestic policy expert for the main opposition party, Labor, Yvette Cooper, said these security issues must be clarified at the highest level.

The attackers downloaded messages from up to a year ago, the “Mail” reported. This is criticism of Johnson, which Truss exchanged with her later Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng, but also sensitive information about the Russian war against Ukraine, such as arms deliveries.