U.K. Special Forces Identities Accidentally Exposed Online for More Than a Decade

The names and ranks of more than 20 members of the United Kingdom’s secret Special Forces were reportedly accidentally made publicly accessible online for over a decade through British Army-related publications.

The breach, discovered by The Sunday Times journalists, involved documents that listed elite personnel alongside code names associated with Special Forces operations. Although the units themselves were not directly identified, the connection was apparent to those familiar with military code references, which are publicly available online.

One document remained online for over 10 years and revealed 14 names, while another, accessible for four years, disclosed six names. The last update to the publications was made only a few months ago, indicating that some of the soldiers may still be active in sensitive missions.

Following the discovery, The Sunday Times refrained from publishing the exact details to protect the soldiers. After notifying the Ministry of Defence, the materials were swiftly removed within hours. Officials reportedly informed the affected personnel and took immediate protective actions.

The report highlights that some individuals identified in the documents served in combat roles, while others held classified support positions. It also notes that several of the named soldiers have distinguished careers, and one is the son of a senior politician.

This latest breach follows a similar incident in March when classified military documents were found scattered across a street in Newcastle. A football fan, Mike Hibbard, stumbled upon the sensitive material while walking to a match. “I peered down and started to see names on bits of papers, and numbers, and I thought, ‘What’s that?’” Hibbard recounted. The papers included soldiers’ ranks, emails, weapons issuance records, and access codes, some linked to Catterick Garrison, Britain's largest army base.

The Ministry of Defence has not officially commented on the latest disclosure but had previously launched an internal investigation into the Newcastle incident.