GCHQ Intern Jailed Seven Years Over Top Secret Data Breach Exposing 17 Spies

Hasaan Arshad, a 25-year-old University of Manchester computer science student and GCHQ intern, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for downloading top secret data from a secure GCHQ computer system to his personal devices, endangering national security and risking exposure of 17 intelligence colleagues. Arshad admitted to breaching the Computer Misuse Act and also pleaded guilty to charges related to possession of indecent images of children found on his phone. The court heard that Arshad's actions compromised a sensitive tool under development at GCHQ, undermined trust with partners, and posed significant risks that were detailed in a closed hearing due to their sensitive nature. Despite no evidence of intent to disclose or sell the data, the damage and risk to national security were described as incalculable, with the judge condemning Arshad's intellectual arrogance and disregard for security rules. Prosecutors emphasized that the breach compromised both the material's security and the safety of intelligence personnel. The case highlights a serious security failure during Arshad's work placement and the critical importance of safeguarding classified information at intelligence agencies.