A Guardian investigation reports that an official UK security assessment deemed vast troves of sensitive police data stored on Microsoft cloud platforms vulnerable to compromise by foreign actors and the US government.
Key facts
- An official UK security assessment found Microsoft cloud platforms storing police files were at potential risk of compromise.
- The data includes criminal records, victim statements, internal emails and other sensitive information.
- More than 40 police forces across the UK are affected, according to the Guardian.
- The assessment identified potential risks from both hostile hackers and the US government.
Vast troves of highly sensitive police data are being stored on Microsoft cloud platforms that an official UK security assessment deemed vulnerable to “compromise” by foreign actors and the US government, according to a Guardian investigation published on 18 September 2026.
The files at risk include criminal records, victim statements, internal emails and other sensitive information, the Guardian reported. Such material is among the most confidential data held by law enforcement bodies.
According to the Guardian, the data belongs to more than 40 police forces across the United Kingdom, indicating the potential scale of the exposure spans much of the country’s policing infrastructure.
The concerns stem from an official UK security assessment, which the Guardian says found the Microsoft cloud platform storing the files was at potential risk from hostile hackers. The same assessment flagged the possibility of compromise by the US government.
The Guardian described its reporting as an exclusive investigation. The outlet’s account centres on the vulnerability identified in the assessment rather than any confirmed breach of the data.
Why it matters
Police data such as criminal records and victim statements is among the most sensitive information held by the state, and any potential exposure raises serious questions about privacy and public safety. The involvement of a US technology provider also highlights wider debates about where national data is stored and who can access it.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of police data is affected?
According to the Guardian, the affected files include criminal records, victim statements, internal emails and other sensitive information held by police forces.
How many police forces are involved?
The Guardian reports that more than 40 police forces across the UK have data stored on the Microsoft cloud platforms in question.
Who could potentially access the data?
An official UK security assessment found the data was potentially vulnerable to compromise by hostile hackers, foreign actors and the US government, according to the Guardian.