Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission press release entitled Electoral Commission response to cyber-attack attribution, of 25 March 2024, whether the cyber-attack compromised data other than the electoral registers; and whether it included the Electoral Commission's investigatory data.

During the cyber-attack in 2021-2022, hostile actors were active in the Electoral Commission’s systems which held our email, our control systems, and copies of the electoral registers. The Commission cannot be certain whether any data was copied or downloaded.

Information, evidence and analysis relating to investigatory matters, along with donations and loans data was held in a separate system not affected by the attack.

The Commission has now significantly strengthened its systems against cyber-attacks and has secured Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.