UK Royal Navy Drones' Cameras Sent Data to China
According to The Telegraph, surveillance drones, specifically the Chinese-made K3 Scout, utilized by the UK Royal Navy, were discovered to be transmitting data to a Chinese IP address. In response to this finding, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) disabled the drones' internet access. The Royal Navy acquired 20 K3 drones from Kraken Technology Group for Operation Beehive, which has been in use by UK special forces since March. An MoD representative mentioned that the problem surfaced during a cyber vulnerability evaluation, although there was no indication of any MoD data being compromised. The drones were sending 'heartbeat communications,' raising alarms about the security of UK military drone components, especially amid warnings regarding China. Additionally, the US FCC is contemplating further restrictions on DJI drones due to similar issues, although DJI has refuted allegations of data sharing with China.
Key facts
- Cameras on K3 Scout drones used by UK Royal Navy sent data to China.
- UK MoD removed internet connectivity from the drones after discovering the transmissions.
- Royal Navy purchased 20 K3 drones for Operation Beehive.
- Drones were sourced from a third party by Kraken Technology Group.
- Investigation found no evidence of MoD data being accessed or compromised.
- Cameras sent 'heartbeat communications' to confirm normal functioning.
- FCC is considering expanding restrictions on DJI drones to include those already on the US market.
- DJI denies sharing user data with the Chinese government.
Entities
Institutions
- UK Royal Navy
- UK Ministry of Defence
- Kraken Technology Group
- The Telegraph
- US Federal Communications Commission
- DJI
Locations
- China
- United Kingdom
- United States