An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
