UK MPs face rise in phishing attacks on messaging apps

The National Cyber Security Centre is urging legislators and officials to stop using commercial messaging platforms for parliamentary work. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock

MPs are facing rising numbers of phishing attacks and Russia-based actors are actively targeting the WhatsApp and Signal accounts of politicians and officials, UK parliamentary authorities have warned.

MPs, peers and officials are being asked to step up their cybersecurity after a continued rise in attacks that have involved messages pretending to be from the app’s support team, asking a user to enter an access code, click a link or scan a QR code.