British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was reportedly the target of a sophisticated cyberattack by Russian-linked hackers in 2022, prior to his tenure as prime minister.

The revelations, detailed in the newly published book “Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer” by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund, have drawn fresh attention to cybersecurity vulnerabilities among high-profile political figures.

The breach occurred during Starmer’s time as the leader of the opposition Labour Party, shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to the book, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) informed Starmer in 2022 that his personal email account may have been compromised by Kremlin-linked hackers.

This prompted him to abandon the account and implement two-factor authentication, a basic security measure that had not been activated previously.

Details of the Breach

The alleged hack was part of a broader campaign targeting British officials and advisors.

Hackers reportedly gained access to Starmer’s email correspondence with Labour’s then-shadow defence secretary John Healey, which included discussions on defence policy.

While these communications were deemed of “limited intelligence value,” security experts warned they could have provided insights into Labour’s stance on Russia and defence strategies.

Jill Cuthbertson, Starmer’s head of office at the time, instructed staff not to email him without explanation.

The breach also coincided with other high-profile cyberattacks attributed to Russian state-sponsored groups, including incidents involving former Prime Minister Liz Truss and ex-MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove.

The hacking group responsible for the breach has been linked to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and is known for targeting political figures and institutions in Western democracies.

The UK government has previously accused this group of conducting “hack-and-leak” operations aimed at undermining democratic processes.

While there is no evidence that Starmer’s emails were published or exploited publicly, British intelligence agencies have acknowledged that sensitive information may have been compromised, reads the report.

The revelations come at a critical time for Starmer, who assumed office as prime minister in July 2024 after Labour’s landslide electoral victory.

Critics have questioned why basic cybersecurity measures like two-factor authentication were not in place earlier. The NCSC has long advocated for such protections among public officials.

This incident adds to a growing list of cyber intrusions targeting UK political figures and institutions, raising concerns about national security and the resilience of digital infrastructure against foreign adversaries.

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