Thousands of mobile phones, laptops and tablets belonging to UK government departments have been lost or stolen, triggering fresh concerns over cybersecurity vulnerabilities and national security threats.
According to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests analysed by The Guardian, over 2,000 government-issued devices have gone missing across 18 Whitehall departments and public authorities. The estimated replacement cost exceeds £1.3 million annually.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) alone reported 240 lost laptops and 125 mobile phones in 2024.
Meanwhile, in the first five months of 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) recorded 103 missing laptops and 387 phones.
The Cabinet Office, which plays a central role in coordinating government operations, reported the loss or theft of 66 laptops and 124 phones last year.
Other major departments, including HM Treasury, the Home Office, and the Bank of England, also disclosed dozens of missing devices.
National Cybersecurity at Stake
Cybersecurity experts warn the losses represent a significant “systemic risk”, even where devices are encrypted.
Professor Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey described the figures as “surprisingly high”, cautioning that stolen devices—even if encrypted—could still provide attackers with valuable backdoor access to government systems.
“If just 1% of those devices belonged to system administrators, that could be enough to breach secure networks,” said Prof Woodward. He noted that street-level thefts of unlocked phones are especially dangerous, as criminals can potentially retain access long enough to extract sensitive data.
Nick Jackson, Chief Information Security Officer at cybersecurity firm Bitdefender, agreed: “It only takes one compromised device to expose an entire network. Tablets and phones are particularly risky due to their access to authentication tokens and sensitive information.”
Government Response Under Scrutiny
The Ministry of Defence insisted that it has “robust policies and procedures” in place, adding that encryption is used to safeguard data.
A spokesperson said: “All breaches of security are treated seriously and subject to risk assessment.”
The Bank of England stated that it “takes the security of devices and data very seriously”, while a government spokesperson reiterated that all government tech is encrypted, and each incident is “thoroughly investigated”.
However, concerns remain. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which oversees cybersecurity policy, reported the loss or theft of 83 phones and 18 laptops in the 12 months to May 2025.
The Home Office, responsible for policing and public safety, confirmed 147 devices went missing in 2024 alone, with an estimated cost exceeding £85,000.
Experts Urge Tighter Safeguards
David Gee, Chief Marketing Officer at Cellebrite, a digital forensics firm working with the Metropolitan Police, warned: “Missing government devices pose a major security threat. Public sector staff handle highly sensitive data—from defence to healthcare—and their tech must be protected at all costs.”
As cyber threats to the UK public sector continue to escalate, experts argue that device management and digital safeguards across Whitehall must be urgently reviewed to prevent future breaches and safeguard the integrity of national data.
