Over 1,000 UK Special Forces soldiers got their data exposed. The document containing their personal data was distributed via WhatsApp.

How has highly confidential data ended up being fully available? There are 1,182 British soldiers, including soldiers from the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, Special Boat Service and Special Air Service.

Ministry of Defence might have leaked these details in an unprotected and even non-classified Excel file due to mere human error.

The information though shouldn’t have been disclosed before June 3, which was clear from the only warning sticked to it – “not to be disclosed before 0900 hours UK local 03 June 21.”

The investigation is on, as the document was last edited by a corporal working for one unit’s Regimental Career Management Officer.

The announcement of promoted soldiers in British Army is common, but the problem is poor protection, lack of any password and the thing that such documents are usually kept safely in the intranet.