Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 29 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 February 2002. It was answered by Lord Moonie (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 February 2002 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions in 2001 attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to computers in his Department by hacking; and of those how many were successful. - (Holding answer 4 February 2002).

Answer: Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in 2001 attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to computers in his Department by hacking; and of those how many were successful. [32740] Dr. Moonie: [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Ministry of Defence, in common with any organisation that is connected to the internet, is subject to widespread and frequent attempts to probe its electronic boundaries. There is no evidence of any successful incursion from an external source to any Departmental computer system. During 2001, 12 incidents of computer hacking were reported, of which two were website defacements and 10 were internal incursions. None of these had any impact on the conduct of military operations or other core Defence business.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 32740; 380 c175W;380 c174-5W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Crime Computers Government departments Ministry of Defence Security Hacking
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk