Minister Confirms MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Advised to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
