A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
