British soldier ignored order to pull his SIM card, then got blackmailed
At a glance
Low rather than Medium: exposure is scored at a default because we cannot see your systems or suppliers. If it touches your systems or suppliers, treat it as Medium.
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Summary
- A British soldier ignored an order to remove his SIM card before deployment, leading to his phone being hacked and him being blackmailed with nude photos.
- Daniel Barton-Kennedy, a British Army corporal with seven years of service, was court-martialed after refusing to follow operational security protocols before deployment to Estonia.
Read the original reportArs Technica Security(opens in a new tab)
Part of Multiple data breaches affecting organisations
Pulse
Last change yesterday · Recheck overdue since 8 Nov 2026, 11:34 UK time
- Story7 Nov 2026, 11:34 UK time · yesterday
Linked reporting from Ars Technica Security (independent original reporting).
Read source (Ars Technica Security)
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Sources
- Ars Technica SecurityNews
British soldier ignored order to pull his SIM card, then got blackmailed
How we know
Statements extracted from sources. Higher confidence means stronger corroboration.
- ClaimedHeadline60% confidence
British soldier ignored order to pull his SIM card, then got blackmailed
- ProbableSummary fact75% confidence
Soldier told repeatedly to lock down devices before deploying, got sextorted, court-martialed. An Estonian newspaper recently revealed that a British soldier disobeyed a direct order to remove the SIM card from his cellphone before being deployed to a part of Estonia, approximately 90 miles west of the Russian border.