A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
