Greater Manchester Police ID badge data breach - what we know so far

Greater Manchester Police has told staff of a 'potential data breach' at a third party supplier the force uses to produce its officer and staff identification badges.

The National Crime Agency is said to be investigating after the unnamed company was the victim of a 'ransomware attack'. Various public sector and private organisations are also said to have been involved.

The Manchester Evening News has seen an email sent to GMP staff.

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It says data from the badges including names, ranks, photos and serial numbers 'may have been accessed', but there's nothing to suggest addresses or financial detail is involved.

No details are understood to have been shared online. As of March this year, GMP officer numbers swelled 8,000 for the first time in a decade, with more than 90 new officers also sworn in this month.

The reported hack is similar to the situation faced by the Metropolitan Police last month, the M.E.N. understands. The email to GMP staff said there had been a 'potential data breach at a supplier used by GMP to produce identification badges' after the company had been the victim of a 'ransomware attack'.

The attack 'includes data of personnel at various public sector and other organisations across the UK, including that of GMP and the Metropolitan Police', according to the message.

Investigators have established that data from the badges including names, ranks, photos and serial numbers 'may have been accessed'.

The email went on: "We have been advised that there is nothing a this time to indicate that financial data or personal address data has been accessed as part of this breach."

It added, however, that a small