(MENAFN) A large-scale cybersecurity breach has reportedly exposed hundreds of UK government email credentials on the dark net, raising concerns about potential threats to public safety and national infrastructure.

According to a report cited by a British newspaper over 700 government email addresses and passwords from nine official domains have surfaced online in the past year. The findings were detailed by NordStellar, a threat management firm that tracks data leaks across the dark web.

Among the most affected agencies are the Ministry of Justice, Department for Work and Pensions, and Ministry of Defense. The report also documented nine attempts to sell classified materials related to UK military and NATO operations.

Other departments impacted include the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for Transport, UK Parliament, Department of Health and Social Care, and HM Revenue and Customs.

Experts warned that the breaches could provide hackers with access to critical systems such as police databases, infrastructure controls, and citizen information.
Vakaris Noreika, head of product at NordStellar, urged swift government action, warning that unaddressed vulnerabilities could have “serious” consequences.

Cybersecurity analyst Gareth Mott from the Royal United Services Institute emphasized that the exposure could undermine national security, public trust, and the economy. “All it takes is for one account to be active still, and that’s a potential initial attack vector,” Mott said.

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