Liz Truss’ personal phone was ‘hacked’ by spies suspected of working for Vladimir Putin, it has been reported.
According to the Mail on Sunday, agents thought to be working for the Kremlin downloaded a year’s worth of messages and top secret discussions with international allies.
But it’s claimed Boris Johnson and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case agreed to suppress information about the cyber-attack, which was discovered during the Tory leadership campaign.
Allies were worried that if the news broke it could derail her chances of becoming Prime Minister - and it’s claimed she “had trouble sleeping” until Mr Case “imposed a news blackout.”
The incendiary story will raise serious questions about the UK’s security apparatus - and of the judgement of both Mr Johnson and Mr Case.
Mr Case this week decided not to investigate Home Secretary Suella Braverman ’s alleged leak of sensitive information, despite widespread calls for a probe.
A UK Government spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday: “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 and mitigating cyber threats.’
It’s claimed the messages that were downloaded included discussions with international allies regarding the war in Ukraine, including detailed information about arms shipments.
And further exchanges between Ms Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, who would later be named Chancellor, criticising Mr Johnson - disclosures that could have left them open to blackmail.
According to the Mail, one source claimed the phone was so heavily compromised it is now “in a locked safe inside a secure government location.”
A source with knowledge of the cyberattack is quoted as saying the incident caused “pandemonium”, adding: “Boris was told immediately, and it was agreed with the Cabinet Secretary that there should be a total news blackout.“
Yvette Cooper, Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, said: "This is extremely serious - it shows the severity of the threats from countries that would do us harm and why cyber-security needs to be taken so seriously by everyone in Government.
“There are immensely important national security issues raised by an attack like this by a hostile state which will have been taken extremely seriously by our intelligence and security agencies.
“There are also serious security questions around why and how this information has been leaked or released right now which must also be urgently investigated.
“It is essential that all of these security issues are investigated and addressed at the very highest level and we need to know that the Government recognises the gravity of this and the importance of fully protecting our national security.”
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:
"These allegations are extremely concerning and raise serious questions for Boris Johnson and those at the heart of this government.
"We need an urgent independent investigation to uncover the truth. Was Liz Truss's phone hacked by Russia, was there a news blackout and if so why?
"If it turns out this information was withheld from the public to protect Liz Truss's leadership bid, that would be unforgivable.
"We cannot allow the Conservative Party's political games to be put ahead of the country's interests and national security."
Ms Truss changed her phone number shortly becoming Prime Minister, after using the same number for more than a decade.
It was later found among a cache of information available for sale online at a price of just £6.49, and which included contact details for 25 cabinet ministers.
Security services have become increasingly concerned about cyberattacks on politicians and public figures.
One hacking system, Israeli-made software known as Pegasus, can infect devices with just a text message - which doesn’t even need to be opened.
The software runs in the background, allowing hackers to download information from the device and listen in on the microphone.
Pegasus was allegedly used by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to hack Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.
The hack happened is alleged to have taken place in 2018, after he received a WhatsApp message apparently belonging to the Crown Prince.
Large amounts of data was downloaded from the device in a matter of hours.
And in April, research group Citizen Lab revealed it had warned the UK government it had detected such attacks in 2020 and 2021.
The group said it had found evidence for multiple suspected infections of devices used within Number 10 and the Foreign Office.
A government official confirmed to the New Yorker that the network had been compromised, and that the National Cyber Security Centre had tested several phones - including Boris Johnson’s.
But the source of the breach had never been determined.
