Embarrassment in the Kingdom: British Commandos' Classified Drones 'Talked' to China

The UK Ministry of Defence has cut off the internet connection of cameras on Royal Navy vessels and spy drones after it was revealed they were transmitting 'heartbeats' to an IP address in China. The equipment, worth about £12 million, is used by the Royal Marines. Security officials fear exposure of elite unit personnel, but the MoD insists no sensitive information leaked.

The UK Ministry of Defence has completely severed the internet connection of cameras installed on Royal Navy vessels and spy drones after it was discovered that they were transmitting 'heartbeats' to an IP address in China. According to the report, the cameras installed on K3 Scout vessels contained Chinese-made components that secretly transmitted routine data confirming the system was online. The fleet of equipment, estimated to be worth around £12 million, has been in use by the Royal Marines since last March. In the British security establishment, concern is growing that highly classified personnel at the Special Boat Service headquarters may have been exposed, as claims arise that the cameras remained active even when the vessels themselves were powered off. The UK Ministry of Defence insisted there is no evidence that sensitive information leaked, and emphasized that it takes information security very seriously. Kraken company also stated that after a comprehensive review by the Navy, it is confident that no sensitive information was shared.