Financial safety

The Bank of England Is Under Threat From ‘Advanced, Persistent’ Hackers

The Bank of England is frequently faced with cyber threats as hackers probe for vulnerabilities in the central bank’s computer systems.

The revelation was made in a response by the U.K. central bank to a Freedom of Information request by Bloomberg News. The BOE declined to release data about the number of times it’s been attacked and its spending on external cyber-security companies, citing an exemption from requirements linked to the prevention of crime.

“The bank faces advanced, persistent and evolving cyber threats from a variety of sources which call for extreme vigilance,” it said in a January letter. On March 3, the Information Commissioner’s Office, which handles Freedom of Information appeals, said it accepted the bank’s reasons for not releasing data and dismissed Bloomberg’s claim. A BOE spokeswoman declined to comment further.