“Unveiling the Hidden Risks: British Spies’ Remote Work Raises Concerns of Vulnerability to Cyberattacks”

15 September 2023, 07:24

British spies are working from home despite concerns that it could make them susceptible to hacking by the country’s adversaries.

Ministers have allowed intelligence workers to carry out their duties remotely due to difficulties in recruiting for office-based roles.

Amid growing worries about China’s efforts to recruit informants, Parliament’s intelligence and security committee, which oversees MI6 and MI5, has cautioned that Beijing has infiltrated every sector of the UK economy.

In a report published in July, the committee also stated that working from home could hinder the effectiveness of the UK’s spies.

According to the MPs, staff who work remotely do not have “continuous access to classified systems,” and they added: “The ‘new normal’ for some organizations has resulted in missed deadlines or sanitized responses sent from home.”

Read more: Working From Home fuels long term sickness says minister as record 2.5million people signed off work

In response, ministers have stated: “The intelligence community has learned valuable lessons about the advantages of hybrid working during the pandemic and will continue to offer opportunities for staff to work from various locations where they can fulfill their roles.

“Much of the work involved in running such complex organizations can be done in different ways, and providing flexibility enables relevant organizations to recruit and support a diverse range of staff and build fully inclusive organizations.”

MI5 allows agent handlers to work from home as long as they are available for at least four days a week.

However, senior Tory MPs have expressed concerns about the potential compromise of British security through remote working, as reported by The Telegraph.