London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Confidential prison layouts in England and Wales have been leaked on the dark web, leading to security concerns over organized crime exploiting the information. The Ministry of Justice is working to secure prisons and identify the source of the breach.
Blueprints of more than 20 prisons leaked on the dark web raise alerts over risks of drug smuggling and escape attempts.
First reported by The Times, it has triggered an investigation by the National Crime Agency.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has stated that it took
“immediate action to ensure the security of prisons”
after the blueprints were leaked.
According to reports, the leaked data include prison layouts and critical information on the positioning of security measures such as sensors and cameras, raising concerns about the safety and integrity of the institutions.
Prison officials were notified about the leak when they received an internal email with the subject “security alert” informing them about the breach.
One Whitehall source dismissed the severity of the breach, explaining that cameras are frequently relocated and are already visible to drones, and prison blueprints have been publicly available online, including on Google Earth, for many years.
Prison Officials and MoJ respond to data breach
After the data breach, prison officials initiated an investigation into the leak of security plans, including cameras and sensors on perimeter fences. Prison authorities have ordered staff to increase patrols and checks until the risks are asserted.
As reported by Telegraph News, prison service sources said that the ongoing investigation is seeking to determine whether the breach was a hack or an effort by organized crime gangs to facilitate smuggling or planning escapes.
A prison source said
“We are unclear about the motivation. It might just be someone who has hacked a contractor and posted it on the dark web. Additional security measures have been put into prisons, including extra perimeter checks”.
Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, told the Guardian News that the rise in the use of large unmanned aerial vehicles was his “number one concern” as it raised the risk of firearms being used for turf disputes or in escape efforts.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed the data breach but refrained from disclosing which prisons were affected, instead ordering enhanced security measures and additional patrols at various facilities.
The Moj spokesperson said,
“We are not going to comment on the specific detail of security matters of this kind, but we are aware of a breach of data to the prison estate, and like with all potential breaches have taken immediate action to ensure prisons remain secure”.
Experts react to data leak
Acheson, a former prison governor and counter-terrorism expert, warned that organized crime groups might use the leaked layouts combining them with publicly accessible details, to facilitate drone smuggling and even plan running from prisons.
He told The Times,
“If plans of high-security prisons have been leaked, co-ordinating that with open-source material or Google Maps could aid an escape after an attack on the exterior of the prison.”
He added,
“Much more plausible is using additional data to co-ordinate drone drops. But if you can deliver half a kilo of drugs via a drone then you can deliver weapons, explosives, whatever you want. These places are wide open.”
Ex-security head criticizes prison service struggles
Vanessa Frake, ex-security head at Wormwood Scrubs, criticizes prison service issues, stating
“Poor recruitment techniques, fewer people wanting to join a crumbling service, overcrowding, staff shortages, and gangs taking advantage of all this are contributing to these vulnerabilities.”