ISIL hackers threaten to leak intelligence data

A group affiliated with ISIL, named Islamic State Hacking Division, has claimed to have planted a mole in the Ministry of Defence and is threatening to leak secret British intelligence data. The news comes after the group earlier published an anti-drone warfare document listing US Air Force drone pilots. The hackers claimed the pilots were believed to be involved in air strikes against terrorists in Iraq and Syria and suggested they would be potential targets of the militants. The threat to UK intelligence was made in a tweet threatening to ‘disclose secret intelligence’ which has been received by ‘Islamic State’. The message has since been removed. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "While we don't comment on cyber threats, Britain is a world leader in cyber security and we are investing more than ever before in the UK's capabilities to protect our national interest. Our increasing defence budget means that we can stay ahead of our adversaries in cyberspace while also investing in conventional capabilities." Meanwhile, Adrian Rankine-Galloway, a spokesperson for US defence agency Pentagon, said: "We are aware that ISIL and other terrorist organisations have periodically purported to release personal information on US service members and military members of our coalition partners involved in operations against ISIL We take proactive measures to protect our service members and their families and keep them apprised of changes to the security situation. "We will not comment on the authenticity of the information in question, and this will have no effect on operations against ISIL.”